


The Gus Chronicles(Grade-School Years)

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Canon, No Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-02-25
Updated: 2008-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-27 12:24:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 88,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12081024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: After three weeks in kindergarten Gus has to ask his Daddy a question.  His problem is that he's afraid that his Daddy won't like the question.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

LATE SEPTEMBER 2006

Gus Peterson-Marcus was trudging to his Daddy’s house from his day at school. He was trying to take as long as possible to 

get home. For the first time since he'd started kindergarten, 3 weeks before, he had to ask his Daddy a question because of 

school. Gus had found school to be amazingly easy compared to the other kindergartners. So far he hadn’t had any problems 

with any of his schoolwork, he almost never had to bring anything home since he finished almost everything he was assigned at 

school. But something had happened today that required Gus to ask his Daddy a question. Gus didn’t think that his Daddy was 

going to like the question; which was why he was taking so long to walk the 3 blocks from school to his Daddy’s house. As he 

walked he remembered what had happened so far in his first year of school.

The first day of school had worried Gus for weeks before it arrived but once he left his Mama’s car and walked with her into 

his classroom he found that he was in his element. He immediately started making friends with the others in his classroom. 

Gus was a very outgoing boy and so he had no problems walking up to another child and start talking. Others in the room were 

not so outgoing and just stood where they first came to rest. Before the teacher called the class to attention Gus had 

spoken to every other child in the room. He told them who he was and asked them their name and on what street they lived.

“Class please come to attention. My name is Mrs. Axtell. I'm going to call your names and point out where you should sit.” 

As she went down the class list the children were directed to the small desks scattered around the room. Gus found himself 

sitting next to Lance Smith who'd been the least talkative of all the children in the classroom. By the end of the day Gus 

and Lance were the best of friends almost totally due to Gus’ efforts since Lance was very shy and hardly spoke to anyone. 

By the end of the first week of school Gus was friends with every kindergartner in the school, knew every first grader by 

name and most of the 2nd graders as well, he met the older students on the playground during recess and after lunch. Lance 

tagged along with Gus but was too shy to become friends with any of the other students, he was lucky if he could say hi to 

them. Gus also went out of his way to meet all of the teachers on the kindergarten end of the school which included the 1st, 

2nd, and 3rd grades in addition to the kindergarten classrooms.

 

On Wednesday of the 2nd week of school Gus had an amazing experience. He was asked to play Prisoner’s Base by Billy, a 4th 

grader. The playground that the 4th graders usually used for recess was being cleaned so they had to play on the little kids 

playground. Billy thought Gus was a 3rd grader since he was so tall for his age. When the Kindergarten class bell rang and 

Gus started to leave, to go back to his classroom, Billy asked “Where're you going? That's the Kindergarten bell.” 

“I know I’m in Kindergarten.” 

“You are?” 

“Yes Billy I am.” 

“Well for a little kid you sure play Prisoner’s Base like a big kid. Any time we share the playground you're welcome to play 

with us.” 

“Thanks Billy you don’t know how much that means to me.”

 

When Gus got home that afternoon he tried to make his Mommy and Mama realize how important it was that he'd played with 4th 

graders. “Mama a 4th grader asked me to play Prisoner’s Base with them and because I did so well he said I could play with 

them anytime we share the playground even after he found out I'm a kindergartner.” 

“That’s nice Gus.” 

“Mama it's better than nice, it's great.” 

“If you say so Gus.” 

“Mommy, Mama doesn’t understand how important it was for me to play with the 4th graders.” 

“Why's that important Gus?” 

“You don’t get it either?” 

“So you played with the 4th graders why's that important? Gus you've always played with older children here in the 

neighborhood.” 

“Girls!” 

“What does that mean Gus?” 

“It means girls don’t understand anything. May I call Uncle Justin?” 

“Why do you want to call Justin?” 

“Because he'll understand why it's important that I played with the 4th graders.” 

“OK Gus, do you need me to dial the phone for you?” 

“Mommy I have been dialing Uncle Justin and Daddy’s number for over a year, how little do you think I am?" 

“Gus what got into you today?” 

“I played with the 4th graders.” 

“I still don’t see why that's such a big deal.”

 

Gus finally gave up trying to explain to his mothers the importance of a kindergartner playing with 4th graders and dialed 

the number of his Daddy and Uncle Justin. 

“Hello.” 

“Hi Daddy can I talk to Uncle Justin?” 

“Sure Sonnyboy, don’t you want to talk to me?” 

“No Daddy I want to talk to Uncle Justin, he'll understand what happened today and why it's important, you won’t, anymore 

than Mama and Mommy did.” 

“Well if I’m not good enough I'll get Uncle Justin for you.” 

“Oh Daddy I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry, I always like talking to you.” 

“Don’t worry Sonnyboy I was just kidding with you. JUSTIN!! Sonnyboy wants to talk to you.” 

“Hi Gus, what’s up?” 

“Uncle Justin I played Prisoner’s Base with the 4th graders today and they said I could play with them anytime we share the 

playground.” 

“Oh Gus that's so great, how'd you do?” 

“I did great; I could outrun almost all of them so I only got caught once and I caught 6 of them.”   
“That's amazing Gus. You're probably going to be a great athlete someday.” 

“Thanks Uncle Justin I knew that you'd understand.” 

“Of course I understand that playing with the big kids at school is quite the accomplishment. I still remember school 

politics.” 

“What does that mean?” 

“Nothing you need to worry about. Well Gus do you want to talk to your Daddy now?” 

“Sure Uncle Justin.” 

“Hey Sonnyboy what’s up?” 

“Daddy remember that I’m coming to your house after school Friday and then I spend the weekend and next week with you and 

Uncle Justin.” 

“Don’t worry Gus one of us'll be home when you get here from school on Friday.” 

“I wasn’t worried I was just reminding you.” 

“Goodbye Sonnyboy.” 

“Bye Daddy, I love you and tell Uncle Justin that I love him too.” 

“Sure Sonnyboy we love you too.”

 

The three had spent that weekend doing yardwork in order to prepare for the upcoming winter. Gus was very pleased that his 

Daddy and Uncle Justin thought that he was big enough to help them. Uncle Justin and Gus had a great time playing in the 

leaf piles while Daddy just watched them with amusement in his eyes. After a while Gus actually got Daddy to jump in the leaf 

pile too.

 

During the 3rd week of school Mrs. Axtell asked Gus if he'd help some of the other students in his class with their craft 

projects. Gus was very happy that the adults in his life thought that he was grown up enough to help them. 

On Thursday much of his self confidence went out the window. It started when his best friend, Lance, told him that he 

couldn’t be his friend anymore.

“Why Lance, I though we were best friends?” 

“We are Gus, you're my only real friend. But my Mommy told me that I couldn’t be friends with you anymore.” 

“Why not Lance, I've never met your Mommy, why doesn’t she like me?” 

“It isn’t you Gus.” 

“Then why Lance?’ 

“She told me that I couldn’t be your friend because your Daddy is an effing queer and he lives with his effing boytoy.” 

“What does that mean?” 

“I don’t know Gus.” 

“Then we better ask Mrs. Axtell.” 

“OK Gus.”

 

At recess the two boys went up to the teacher’s desk instead of going out to play. 

“Yes boys?” 

“Mrs. Axtell we need to ask you a question. Lance says that his Mommy says we can’t be friends anymore because my Daddy is 

an effing queer and lives with an effing boytoy. We don’t know what any of that means.” 

“My goodness, you've caught me by surprise. I think Gus it would be better if you ask your Daddy what that means.” 

“You don’t know?” 

“I know I just think it would be best if you ask your Daddy. Now you two go out to play.”

 

When the final bell for the day rang Mrs. Axtell called Gus to her desk. “Gus I have a note for your Daddy. Will you remember 

to give it to him or should I pin it to your backpack?” 

“Mrs. Axtell do you think I would forget to give my Daddy a note?” 

“I’m sorry Gus I should've known better, of course you wouldn’t forget. It's just a habit to ask students that question 

everytime I send a note home. Will you forgive me?” 

“Sure Mrs. Axtell.”

 

As much as he dawdled Gus found himself at his Daddy’s house sooner than he wanted. He knew he had to ask his question but 

he just didn’t want to cause his Daddy or Uncle Justin any pain. He just knew that his Daddy would be upset so Gus hoped 

that maybe instead of Daddy being home today that Uncle Justin would be instead. As soon as he got in the house he knew that 

hope wasn’t going to be fulfilled because when the door closed his Daddy called out to him. “Sonnyboy how was school today?” 

“School was fine Daddy but I have to ask you a question.” 

“Sure Gus what is it?” 

“Promise me that you won’t be mad Daddy.” 

“Gus why would I be mad because you ask me a question?” 

“I don’t think you'll like the question.” 

“Let me decide that Gus. What's the question?”

“Daddy what does it mean when someone says that you're an effing queer and Uncle Justin is your effing boytoy?” 

“Why do you ask that Gus?” 

“Today at school Lance told me that he can’t be my friend anymore because his Mommy said you're an effing queer and that you 

live with an effing boytoy. We didn’t know what that means so we asked Mrs. Axtell. She told me to ask you.” 

“Thanks Mrs. Axtell.” Brian whispered to himself. 

“What did you say Daddy?” 

“Nothing Gus.” 

“Why would Lance’s Mommy not want him to play with me because of you and Uncle Justin?” 

“Gus why don’t we wait until Uncle Justin gets home to answer these questions?” 

“No she said it about you so you have to answer. Before I forget Mrs. Axtell sent you a note.”

Brian took the note out of the envelope and quickly read what the teacher had written. 

Mr. Kinney I have already arranged to meet with the parent in question. You can be assured that the Pittsburgh Public Schools 

and the G. A. Custer Elementary School in particular will not stand for any type of discrimination. I felt it best that you 

answer Gus’ question since you obviously know him better than I do. If you have any questions feel free to call me at the 

school tomorrow. Deborah Axtell.

“Gus you know that I and Justin love each other don’t you?” 

“Yes Daddy.” 

“Gay means that a man loves another man in an adult way instead of loving a woman. I love Justin and Justin loves me so we're 

gay. Some people don’t like people who're different than everyone else so they talk about them in mean ways. Queer is a mean 

word for gay.” 

“So you and Uncle Justin are different?” 

“Yes we're different than most men because we are attracted to other men but that doesn’t mean that we love you any less than 

Lance’s Mommy and Daddy love him.” 

“I never worried about that Daddy.” 

“I’m glad to hear that Sonnyboy. The boytoy comment is just a mean way of talking about how much younger Justin is than I 

am.” 

“How old are you Daddy?” 

“I’m 35 and Justin is 23 so mean people think that we really don’t love each other because I’m 12 years older than he is.” 

“35-- I didn’t know you were that old Daddy.” 

“35 isn’t that old Gus.” 

“It isn’t? 23 sounds pretty old to me.” 

“Well Sonnyboy you'll be 23 before you know it. 

Did you understand my answer to your question Gus?” 

“Yes Daddy, Lance’s Mommy was just being mean because you and Uncle Justin are different. But why would she want Lance to 

stop being my friend because of what you and Uncle Justin are?” 

“That's a million dollar question Sonnyboy. It shouldn’t matter but some people just don’t think things through as well as 

they should. What do you want to have for supper?” 

“Who’s cooking?” 

“Does that matter?” 

“Of course, Uncle Justin is a much better cook than you are Daddy.” 

“Since I’m here now and he's still at work I suppose that I’m cooking, if we want to eat early.” 

“Well I guess we could have hamburgers and french fries Daddy. That's your best meal.” 

“Gus I think maybe I should just give you some bread and water. Making fun of my cooking like that.” 

“I’m sorry Daddy I was just fooling with you.” 

“I know Sonnyboy, but hamburgers do sound good but I think I'll make macaroni salad instead of french fries.” 

“Sounds good to me Daddy.”

Brian started making supper but he made Gus very happy when he asked him. “Gus what do you want to do to help with supper?" 

“Anything I can do is all right with me Daddy.” 

“Why don’t you set the table then, you know where everything is don’t you?” 

“Yes Daddy but why don’t we eat outside like a picnic?” 

“I’m sure Justin will like that Sonnyboy, just put all of the paper plates and plastic utensils in the picnic basket and 

we'll take it outside when we're ready to eat.” 

So Gus got everything ready and put it all in the picnic basket then he went to his room and watched cartoons. 

“Daddy let me know when Uncle Justin gets home.” 

“OK Sonnyboy he should be here pretty soon.”

 

Brian had fixed everything for supper and was just waiting for Justin to get home to start grilling the hamburgers. When 

Brian heard Justin’s car pull into the garage he went to the side door. “Justin we need to talk before Gus knows you're 

here.” 

“What happened Brian.” 

“Some homophobic parent told their child that he couldn’t be friends with Gus anymore because I’m an effing queer living with 

his effing boytoy.” 

“How did Gus handle it?” 

“Fine, he didn’t know what it meant so he asked his teacher, she told him to ask me. She sent a note to let me know that she 

will take care of it on her side. I tried to get Gus to wait for you but he insisted that since it was about me I had to 

answer the question. So I explained that some people are just mean to those that are different and you and I are different 

because we love each other.” 

“How did Gus take that?” 

“Fine as far as I could tell. But he might ask you as well.” 

“I thought things had gotten better.” 

“They have Justin but they just aren’t perfect yet.” 

“Gus is in his room, we're having a picnic for supper, so go get him and we can start.” 

“Sure Bri, can I take the time to clean up a little?” 

“Why bother you know Gus'll have you playing in that leaf pile again.” 

“All right we'll be right down.” 

 

“Hi Gus how was school today?” 

“The same as always Uncle Justin.” 

“Do you have any homework?” 

“No I did it all at school like usual. Will school always be this easy Uncle Justin?” 

“Maybe Gus, you'll just have to wait and see if it get harder for you. Someday you'll probably run into something that makes 

you have to work though.” 

“Like what?” 

“I don’t know Gus, but it's different for everyone. Well we better get downstairs before Brian starts looking for us.” 

“Uncle Justin do you want to play in the leaf pile while Daddy cooks the hamburgers?” 

“Why do you think I left that last pile of leaves out there Gus?” 

“Uncle Justin I love you.” 

“I love you too.”

 

All three ended up in the leaf pile while the hamburgers grilled since Daddy wanted to have some fun too. Daddy and Uncle 

Justin snuck a kiss or two when they thought Gus wasn’t looking. That was a game Gus played with his Dads, he would pretend 

to be looking at something so that they would sneak a kiss. He sometimes wondered if they knew what he was doing and more 

importantly why they didn’t openly kiss in front of him. His mothers kissed in front of him all the time. Daddy and Uncle 

Justin though never kissed openly when Gus was around so that was why he played his game of looking away so that they could 

sneak a kiss. After eating and cleaning everything up it was time for Gus to get cleaned up so he could go to bed. 

 

“Goodnight Daddy, Goodnight Uncle Justin. I love you both even if you're different.” Gus said with a giggle. 

“Goodnight Sonnyboy don’t take too long in the tub.” 

“Night Gus do you need me to tuck you in later?” 

“Not tonight Uncle Justin.”

 

Gus thought long and hard about what he was going to do the next day at school while he was bathing and getting ready for 

bed. He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow since leaf jumping takes a lot out of a youngster. The next 

morning Gus was his normal joyful self at breakfast and he walked to school in his normal forthright manner. He spoke to 

every child he met on his way to school and on the playground before they were let into the school building. Once in his 

classroom he went up to Mrs. Axtell. “Mrs. Axtell could I speak to the entire class before we start today?” 

“Sure Gus but what do you want to talk about?” 

“Being friends.” 

“Did your Daddy answer your question last night?” 

“Yes he explained that Lance’s Mommy was being mean about Daddy and Uncle Justin since they're different than most men. But 

they love me and that's all that matters and I love them with all of my heart.” 

“Are you ready to talk to the class Gus?” 

“Yes Mrs. Axtell.” 

“Class it's time to start. Please take your seats. Gus wants to talk to all of you. I expect you to listen to him just 

like you listen to me.”

Gus proceeded to talk to his classmates about what it takes to be friends and what he wanted from them. Mrs. Axtell just sat 

at her desk and beamed at this most mature young man. When Gus finished his classmates clapped and cheered. Mrs. Axtell let 

them go for a few minutes then called them to attention so that they could start the school day. When the final bell rang 

she again called Gus to her desk. “Gus I have a letter for your Daddy and your Uncle Justin. I need to know what his name 

is so that I can properly address the letter.” 

“His name is Uncle Justin.” 

“That's not the name I mean.” 

“But that's his name.” 

“OK Gus just give a few minutes then you can take this letter to them. I was very proud of you this morning. That was a very 

moving talk you gave, I wish a lot of adults could be so wise.” 

“Thank you Mrs. Axtell but it's just what I've learned from my Mama, Mommy, Daddy, and Uncle Justin.”

Mrs. Axtell finished with the letter in a few minutes sealed it and gave it to Gus. “Have a nice weekend Gus.” 

“You too Mrs. Axtell.”

 

As soon as Gus got home he gave the letter to Uncle Justin who was home while Daddy was at work. The letter was addressed to 

Mr. Brian Kinney and Uncle Justin. 

“Gus we'll wait until your Daddy gets home to read this letter. Did you have a good time at school today?” 

“Yes Uncle Justin, I talked to my class about friendship and they all clapped and cheered when I was done.” 

“That's great but why don’t you wait until your Daddy gets home to tell both of us about that.”

“OK Uncle Justin, what's for dinner?” 

“Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and asparagus.” 

“I told Daddy yesterday that you were a better cook than he is and boy was I right.” 

“Gus you little scamp.” 

“Can I go play in my tree house?” 

“Sure but be careful, I may be a better cook but I’m not a very good nurse.” 

“Oh Uncle Justin I've never fallen out of my tree house.” 

“There's always the first time Gus.”

 

Brian worked late to make up for leaving early on Thursday so when he got home dinner was almost ready to eat. 

“Brian Mrs. Axtell sent us a letter, but we can read it after supper. Gus is in the tree house you better go get him.” 

Brian went out to the tree house. “Gus time for supper.” 

“OK Daddy will you catch me if I jump out of the window?” 

“No you come down the stairs. You've gotten too big for me to catch you and I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

“Oh Daddy you worry too much.” 

“That may be but you'll never jump out of that window again or I'll take the treehouse down.” 

Gus knew that tone of voice meant business so he was down on the ground in 5 seconds. They then walked hand in hand to the 

house. Dinner was great, like all of Uncle Justin’s meals. After they finished eating Justin sent Gus to get cleaned up for 

bed since he got to stay up late on Friday nights. Brian read the letter while Justin washed the dinner dishes.

Dear Mr. Kinney and Uncle Justin.(pardon the familiar name but I don’t know your surname since it isn’t on any of Gus’ 

official papers in the school office and Gus insisted that your name is Uncle Justin. I have enclosed a form that you can 

fill out and send back to school with Gus on Monday.)

Today Gus gave a talk to the class about friendship. I wish that I had a tape recorder because I don’t know that I've ever 

heard such an amazing speech from a kindergartner. I would suggest that you have a family get together and have Gus tell you 

what he told us. I’m sure that all of his family members and friends will be just as proud as I was. He is an amazing young 

man, I’m sure you knew that long before I met your son. I’ve only known him for 3 weeks you've known him for 6 years. 

Gus'll go far in this world. 

If it entered his head to stage a coup here at Custer Elementary he'd be in the Principal’s Office within minutes, even the 

older children would follow his leadership. Lance’s mother lost most of her swagger when I informed her that Gus was the 

only friend her son had at school while Gus was friends with pretty much every child at this end of the school building and 

that the only reason he wasn’t friends with the remainder was because he hadn’t met them yet. So Gus and Lance'll remain 

best friends. As always feel free to call me at the school. Deborah Axtell.

“Justin I think we should plan on having a party tomorrow. Do you think you could pull one together on this short notice?” 

“No problem Brian. We can just get some pizza delivered, Gus always enjoys pizza, almost as much as fried chicken. Should we 

tell him what we are planning?” 

“No let it be a surprise. I’ll keep him occupied until people start getting here. I'll start calling everyone after Gus 

goes to bed.” 

“Speaking of prodigies he should've been done with his bath a while ago and down here with us. I’ll just go check on him.” 

Justin found that Gus was reading one of his story books. “Gus aren’t you going to come back downstairs?” 

“No Uncle Justin I’m extra tired tonight I think I'll go to bed early.” 

“Well we'll see you in the morning then.” 

“Good night Uncle Justin. I love you, tell Daddy I love him too.” 

“Sure thing Gussy.” 

“Gus, Uncle Justin.” 

“I know Gus but sometimes Gussy just sounds better.”

 

“He’s going to bed early tonight Brian and he told me to tell you that he loves you.” 

“I’ll start calling the gang then. When do we want to have the party?” 

“Well we’ll let Gus talk first then eat, so tell them to get here around 4.” 

 

Brian proceeded to call everyone in the family group and invited them to this impromptu gathering to honor Gus. Everyone 

agreed to come; except for Justin’s sister Molly who had a school outing that she couldn’t get out of. Brian promised 

Jennifer, Justin and Molly’s mother, that he'd tape Gus’ talk so that she could take the tape home for Molly to listen to. 

Molly thought of Gus as her baby brother and was very fond of him when she didn’t want to strangle him.

 

The next morning Brian took his son to the zoo while Justin started preparing for the party. Brian and Gus stopped at the 

Liberty Diner for lunch where they each had their usual. Gus always giggled when he ordered his ‘usual’. When they got home 

Brian suggested to Sonnyboy. “Gus why don’t we go take a nap, you really tired me out chasing after you at the zoo.” 

“Boy Daddy you really must be getting old, if you get tired so easy.” 

“Just for that young man you don’t get any ice cream after supper.” 

“You don’t fool me Daddy.” 

“What do you mean Sonnyboy?” 

“I’ll get all the ice cream I want because you really aren’t mad at me.” 

“You think so do you?” 

“Of course I know so. I'm six years old and I know all of your tricks Daddy.” 

“Don’t be so sure Sonnyboy. But you're right I was just kidding you about the ice cream.” 

“I knew it Daddy.” 

“Do you want to nap in your room or with me?” 

“How about on the living room couch?” 

“OK Gus that's a very soft couch and more than big enough for the two of us even if you are growing like a weed.” 

“I'm getting pretty tall, how tall do you think I'll be when I quit growing?”

"Seven foot 3 inches."

"Daddy can't you ever be serious?"

"Only when I want to Sonnyboy, only when I want to."

Gus woke up when he heard the doorbell. He ran to open the door before whoever was there rang it again so that it wouldn’t 

wake up his Daddy. He was very surprised to see that it was Debbie, Mikey, Uncle Vic and Grandma Jenn at the door. 

“Why are you here, is something going on?” 

“Aren’t you going to invite us in?” Deb asked. 

“I’m sorry guys come on in.” 

 

Before Gus could close the door he saw his Aunty Em park on the street and watched while he and Teddy got out of the car. 

Gus waited to let them in. 

“Hi Gus, ready for the party?” 

“What party?” 

“OOPS I guess I let the cat out of the bag again.” 

“Em have you ever been able to keep a secret?” 

“Well you aren’t any better Ted.” 

“Don’t I know it.” 

“Why're we having a party?” 

“I guess you'll have to wait until your Daddy tells you Gus.” 

“Aunty Em you know don’t you?” 

“Yes, but I’m not telling.” 

 

The two men and Gus went to join the rest in the living room. Daddy had gotten up while Gus was at the door. “Well Gus 

we're just waiting for your mothers.” 

“Why're we having a party and why didn’t you tell me?” 

“Well Sonnyboy it was a secret.” 

“Well tell me now.” 

“Not until Melanie and Lindsay get here.” 

 

The doorbell rang again and Gus ran to let his mothers in. “Hi Mama, Hi Mommy do you know what this party is about?” 

“Don’t you Gus?” 

“No Daddy is being mean and won’t tell me.” 

“Gus you know that Brian is never mean to you.” 

“Well he is today.” 

 

“OK gang let me tell you why I invited everyone here today.” Brian stated. “The other day Gus ran into his first instance 

of homophobia.” 

“What? What fool thinks that Gus is gay?” Mikey demanded of his best friend. 

“No; it wasn’t aimed at him but at me and Justin. Some mother told her son that he couldn’t be Gus’ friend anymore since I’m 

an effing queer living with an effing boytoy. Gus asked his teacher what that meant and she told him to ask me while she 

dealt with the mother. Gus talked to his class about friendship yesterday and his teacher suggested that we have a family 

get together and let Gus tell us what he told them. So that's what we're doing. Gus will you tell us what you told your 

classmates?” 

“Sure Daddy but you could have told me what you were up to.” 

“Well Gus I’m getting even for your comments about my cooking.” 

“Oh Daddy I said I was sorry.” 

“I’m just kidding you again Gus.” 

“Daddy!” 

“Would you two quit kidding around and let the boy tell his story.” Debbie butted in. 

“OK Debbie, Gus you can start now.” Brian, remembering his promise to Molly, started the tape recorder.

“Well all I did was to ask them if I was a good friend? Was I a good person? Did I do what I said I would do? Did I ever 

lie to them? Did I help them when I could. But the main thing was did they like me for me or for who my Daddy and Uncle 

Justin are? That I wanted them to like me for me since I like them for who they are not who their Mommy or Daddy are. So 

if any of their Mommys or Daddys have a problem with them being my friend because of Daddy and Uncle Justin that I would be 

willing to talk to them. That way they could decide if I could be a good friend based on who I am and how I behave and not 

on who my Daddy and Uncle Justin are or what they do in their lives. The class clapped and cheered when I was done and Mrs. 

Axtell looked very proud of me. That's all I did; it wasn’t that big of a deal. But if it gave Daddy a reason to have a 

party then I’m not going to complain. What're we having to eat Daddy?” 

“What makes you thing we're having anything to eat Sonnyboy?” 

“It wouldn’t be much of a party if we didn’t eat anything Daddy.” 

“He has you there Brian.” 

“Don’t encourage him Vic.” 

“We're having pizza Gus.” 

“Thank you Uncle Justin.” 

“The pizza will be here soon everyone so just mingle while we wait.” 

 

Gus found himself the center of attention since everyone in the family was very taken with what he had said to his 

classmates. Gus was a very good host, he spoke to each little group of family members for a few minutes then moved on to the 

next. Eventually the doorbell rang and Uncle Justin and Gus went to the door to get the pizza and everything else Uncle 

Justin had ordered to go with it. “Gus I didn’t realize how much I ordered why don’t you take your load to the kitchen and 

get some more help.” 

“OK Uncle Justin.” 

Gus rushed to the kitchen and stopped in the living room on his way back to the door. “Mikey can you help me and Uncle Justin 

get the rest of the food to the kitchen.” 

“Sure Gus.” 

“Justin must have ordered for an army.” Teddy said to the room. 

“Well you'd be amazed at how much I can eat now Teddy.” 

“Is that so Gus?” 

“Yep I plan on eating at least 2 pieces of pizza and a breadstick and some dessert too.” 

“This I have to see.” 

“Teddy just you wait and see. Come on Mikey.” 

Once the food was set up on the kitchen table everyone started through the line and moved into the dining room where everyone 

dug in. Gus was very happy that everyone treated him just like one of the gang. 

“Gus I just remembered something.” 

“Yes Daddy?” 

“Mrs. Axtell wrote that she asked you what Justin’s name was so she could properly address her letter to us, but you told her 

it was Uncle Justin.” 

“Well his name is Uncle Justin.” 

“You know that his name is Justin Taylor don’t you Gus?” 

“Of course but that's his official name and she just asked me what his name was.” 

“You have two names for everyone?” 

“Doesn’t everyone? Each of you has an official name and then there is the name that I use.” 

“Why did you give her my official name then?” 

“I didn’t give her any name for you, if she had asked I would've told her Daddy.” 

Everyone in the room was just trying not to laugh as the dialogue between Brian and his son proceeded. 

“OK Sonnyboy what's everyone’s official and Gus name?” 

“OK Daddy. Daddy, Brian Kinney. Uncle Justin, Justin Taylor. Grandma Jenn, Jennifer Taylor. Aunt Mollusk, Molly Taylor; I 

know she isn’t here but she is part of my family. Aunty Em, Emmett Hunnicutt. Teddy, Ted Schmidt. Mikey, Michael or Mikey 

Novotny. Debbie, Deb Novotny. Uncle Vic, Vic Grassi. Mama, Melanie Marcus. Mommy, Lindsay Peterson. Did I forget anyone?” 

“No Gus I think you got the entire gang. Why is it Michael or Mikey?” 

“Because you call him Mikey most of the time but Michael some of the time while everyone else calls him Michael most of the 

time but Mikey some of the time.” 

“I didn’t realize how observant you are Gus. But what's your official name Gus?” 

“Augustus Brian Peterson-Marcus.” 

“Do you have a Gus name?” 

“Sure.” 

“Well what is it?” 

“What do you think it is?” 

“I’m asking you young man.” 

“OK Daddy my name for myself is Gus Kinney-Taylor-Peterson-Marcus.” 

“Kind of long isn’t it?” Daddy said with a huge smile on his face, Uncle Justin was beaming as well.”


	2. The Gus Chronicles(Grade-School Years)

December 28, 2008

4 PM  
Peterson-Marcus home  
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

“Lindsay have you seen Gus? He’s been very quiet this afternoon, it’s like he isn’t even in the house.” Melanie Marcus asks 

as she enters the living room from the hall.

“Gus isn’t in the house Mel, he went to the park, with his friends, after lunch. It was so nice today, for December, I 

couldn’t see making him stay inside. He should be home soon. Come sit with me until he gets home,” Lindsay replies with a 

wink and grin.

SLAM - - - - STOMP - - - - STOMP - - - - STOMP - - - - STOMP - - - - STOMP

Melanie jumps up from the couch and runs to the stairway.

“What the hell? AUGUSTUS BRIAN PETERSON-MARCUS GET DOWN HERE THIS MINUTE.” Melanie shouts up the staircase, then returns to 

the couch.

Within a few minutes a handsome, tall for his age, 8 year-old appears at the living room door.

“Yes Mama?” Gus asks while trying to look as innocent as a lamb and failing miserably.

Whenever she see her son Lindsay is amazed how little he looks like her, other than his blond hair, and how much he looks 

like his father. At this moment though the boy looks as miserable as she can ever remember him looking. Gus is usually a 

very happy go lucky child but on this late December afternoon he's anything but happy.

“Gus what’s the matter, what happened?” Melanie asks, all anger disappearing at the sight of her upset son.

“Mommy, Mama I’m so mad at Uncle Justin I can’t stand it. I hate being mad at Uncle Justin since I love him so much, but I 

can‘t help it he made me so angry today.”

“Why're you mad at Justin?” Melanie asks with a tone of surprise. “What could Justin possibly have done to you to make you 

so upset? He’d do almost anything to keep you from any type of pain, physical or mental.”

“I’m mad at Uncle Justin because he made Daddy do something that Daddy didn’t want to do.” Gus replies in a rush to get the 

words out.

“What?” both women respond at the same time.

“When I went over to their house I overheard Uncle Justin telling Daddy to do something even though Daddy said he didn’t want 

to do it.”

“Wait a minute young man, what were you doing at Brian and Justin’s house. You were supposed to be at the park playing with 

your friends.” Lindsay asks her son.

“I was at the park, that’s when I got the idea to go to Daddy’s to show him and Uncle Justin my new bike.”

“Gus, they saw your new bike on Christmas Day when they came over for dinner,” Mel puts in her 2 cents.

“They saw the bike but they didn’t see me riding it and doing wheelies.” Gus replies with a tone of disbelief that his 

mother’s don’t realize the difference. 

Over the years Gus has been amazed how many times his mothers, and his father for that matter, couldn’t see why things were 

important to him. His Uncle Justin always knew what Gus was thinking and why he thought the way he did.

“Gus you know that you should’ve asked permission to go to Brian’s. What if they hadn’t been home?” Lindsay asks with a 

tone of exasperation.

“Well Mommy when I thought of going to Daddy’s house to show him and Uncle Justin how I can do wheelies I was closer to their 

house than I was to here. It didn’t make sense to ride all the way back here and then go back there. I suppose I could have 

called Daddy from Lance’s house but his mother still doesn’t like me and probably wouldn’t have let me use her phone. If 

they hadn‘t been home then I would’ve come back here and I wouldn‘t be mad at Uncle Justin.” Gus replies with the logic of a 

youngster.

“Gus that wasn’t the right decision, you still should have come home, we could’ve called Brian and Justin and then you 

could’ve gone tomorrow.” Melanie tells her son with a lawyer like explanation.

“But Mama I wanted to show them today.” Gus replies, trying to not let his exasperation show.

“I think we’re getting away from the topic that started this discussion. Gus what happened that got you so mad at Justin?” 

Lindsay asks with a glance at her lover.

“Well Mommy, Lance and I talked about how much fun it was to do wheelies on the way to his house from the park. After I said 

goodbye to Lance I realized how close I was to Daddy’s house and I decided that I wanted to show Uncle Justin, and Daddy, 

that I’m big enough to do wheelies so I rode over there. I was very careful about traffic both going there and coming 

home.” Gus answers with a hope of getting back into the good graces of his mothers.

“I’m glad you remembered about being safe, on your bike, but you still know better than to go somewhere without telling us 

first.” Lindsay admonishes her son.

“I’m sorry Mommy, I won’t do it again. Even after I’m all grown up and married and have moved away I won’t go anywhere 

without asking permission.” Gus states with a glimmer of joy in his hazel eyes and a grin on his face.”

“Lindsay it’s bad enough that he looks like his father does he have to have his attitude as well?” Melanie smiles as she 

makes the statement to lessen the harshness of the comment.

“Gus you still haven’t told us why you are so mad with Justin.”

“Well Mommy when I got to their house I went in without knocking, since Daddy told me it was as much my house as theirs and 

it was stupid for me to knock every time I come there, and then I heard them arguing. I didn’t know that Daddy and Uncle 

Justin argue but they were almost yelling at each other.” Gus says with a frown.

“Gus all adults disagree with each other some of the time, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other.”

“Well Mama I know Uncle Justin loves Daddy but he doesn’t have to make him do things he doesn’t want to do, does he? Gus asks 

with a huge scowl on his handsome features.

“No Gus, but I’m sure you just misheard them, Justin wouldn’t make Brian do anything that he doesn’t want to do. Besides 

your Daddy never does anything he isn’t willing to do.” Melanie adds, trying to defuse the situation.

“But I heard them Mama. Uncle Justin made Daddy do something he didn’t want to do.” Gus says almost in tears.

“Just exactly what did you hear Gus?” Lindsay asks, needing to know but not really wanting to know.

“Well the first thing I heard was Daddy saying:

‘Justin I don’t want to do it.’

Then Uncle Justin said:

‘Brian quit being such a baby. You know you’ll like it once we start.’

‘It’s too big Sunshine. I don’t want to do it.’

‘Brian it isn’t that big. It won’t kill you to do it.’

‘Sunshine why're you always trying to make me do this? It will too kill me.’

‘I do it because I know that you really love doing it but you’re afraid to admit it.’

‘Just because you love doing it doesn’t mean that I love doing it.’

‘It’s not like this would be the first time. Come on Brian act like the rugged hero I fell in love with.’

‘Flattery will get you nowhere Sunshine. I don’t want to do it and you can’t make me. It’s too big.’

‘Yes I can and you know it. Do you want me to pull out all of the stops?’

‘You wouldn’t. Of course you would. Justin Taylor don’t you dare look at me like that.’

‘Like what?’

‘Fuck you, you little twink, bring that big thing over here and give it to me.’”

“Gus what were you doing outside of your Daddy’s bedroom?” Melanie interrupts her son’s account of what he'd heard before he 

goes too far.

“They weren’t in the bedroom Mama.”

“Then where did you overhear this conversation?” Lindsay asks, not really wanting to know the answer.

“Daddy and Uncle Justin were in the kitchen.”

“The kitchen!” Melanie and Lindsay exclaim as one.

“Where else would they be? Gus asks somewhat confused by his mothers response to his story.

“Gus you didn’t see what Justin was trying to get Brian to do did you?” Lindsay asks in a very small voice.

“Of course I did, why do you think it made me so mad? Uncle Justin shouldn’t make Daddy do something he doesn’t want to do. 

Especially when Daddy thinks it‘s too big for him to enjoy.”

“Did they see you before you left?” Melanie inquires with a pained expression on her face like she really doesn’t want to 

know the answer.

“I don’t think so Mama but they probably heard the door slam when I left.”

“Gus you know that Justin wasn’t really doing anything that would hurt your Daddy. When two adults love each other they show 

it in many different ways. Though usually not in the kitchen.” Lindsay speaks in a quiver since she really isn‘t prepared 

to give the ‘Talk’ at this point in her life.

“Mommy, you mean Uncle Justin making Daddy eat a huge gooey cinnamon roll is how he shows him that he loves him?” Gus asks 

with some confusion.

Melanie and Lindsay just stare at each other with looks of relief; trying not to laugh.


	3. The Gus Chronicles(Grade-School Years)

April 2010

***

“That god damn no good fucking son of a bitch.” 

“What's the matter Brian? By the way Gus is in his room. He stopped by on his way home from school and asked if he could 

spend the weekend with us. Since you slammed the door he'll probably be down here to see what's going on.”

“That's subtle reminder for me to watch my language isn’t it Sunshine?”

“I wouldn’t give you a hint Brian, what makes you think that I would?”

“Almost 7 years of living with you, and that goofy grin you‘re sporting.”

“I know how you want Gus to think you're perfect; so yes I was warning you about his presence. Brian you do know that he 

knows that we aren’t perfect? I think he even knows that we kiss once in a while.”

“Well if I can deny that Sonnyboy is growing up then I can deny that he knows that I‘m not perfect. You and me kissing; why 

would he think that?”

“Have I told you lately how much I love you? As careful as you've been, over the years, to not kiss me when he's around I’m 

pretty sure that he's caught us a few times. What's the problem that caused the swearing in the first place?”

“That so called partner of mine, even after all of this time, after all the success and money I’ve brought to Vanguard, still 

won’t treat me like an equal partner; hell he doesn‘t even treat me like an unequal partner. You would think I'd be use to 

how he treats me after all of these years but it still galls me when he treats me like shit.”

“What happened today to bring on this latest rant? You do know Brian that this isn’t the first time you’ve come home furious 

with Vance. I don‘t think that I can remember you ever coming home happy with Vance.”

“I know, I know but today was almost the last straw. He gave me an assignment I would've found insulting the first year I 

worked for Ryder. I think that he's trying to make me quit. I wish I knew why he's been such a fucking jerk.”

“Well Brian you always can walk away. We certainly wouldn‘t starve while you look for a position with another firm.”

“I don’t know Sunshine you still eat like the proverbial horse. I'd never give him the satisfaction of running me off. I 

guess he never got over the fact that I forced him to make me a partner when I got the Brown Athletic account.”

“It isn’t worth the aggravation Brian.”

“I know but I’ll be damned before I give in to the bastard.”

“Daddy if you are so unhappy why don’t you start your own company?”

“Sonnyboy how long have you been in the room?”

“Not long but I could hear you as I came down the hallway, you were almost shouting Daddy.”

“Why're you here tonight, not that I mind Sonnyboy?”

“Mommy and Mama are having some meeting at the house tonight and those meetings get much too lesbionic sometimes. Mama said 

it was OK with them if I spent the weekend if it was OK with you and Uncle Justin. Uncle Justin said I could stay; is it all 

right with you?”

“No Sonnyboy, I think you better head on home to your mother’s house so that you don’t miss supper.”

“OK Daddy, I guess you have plans. I’ll see you next Friday then.”

“Gus get your butt back here, I was just kidding, of course you can stay here for the weekend. You can stay here forever as 

far as I’m concerned. Don’t tell your mothers I said that, they might take me up on it.”

“Daddy I knew that you were bluffing, I was just seeing how far you would let me go before you folded.”

“You little scamp.”

“Now Brian that's my nickname for the boy. You have Sonnyboy you can’t use little scamp too.”

“Did you two plan to gang up on me?”

“Gus did we plan to gang up on your Daddy?”

“I don’t remember planning anything Uncle Justin.”

“Well then he won’t think we planned anything when we launch a tickle attack at the same time. I’ll take his left side you 

get his right side.”

“Sunshine, Sonnyboy, don’t even think about it.”

“One, Two, Three attack.”

***

“OK I give up you two, I can’t laugh anymore. You won this round but you haven’t won the war. Keep your eyes open you never 

know when a sneak attack will come.”

“I’ve never known you to give up quite so quickly Brian.”

“I’ve never been tickled attacked on two fronts before this afternoon. Where do you two want to go for supper?”

“I’ve got a roast in the oven Brian we can’t go out.”

“Yes we're going out Sunshine, do whatever you have to do with your roast to save it for tomorrow but tonight I want to go 

out on the town. Gus do you have anything dressy in your closet here or will we have to go by your mother’s house first. 

We're going first class tonight. We'll eat at a fancy restaurant and then go dancing.”

“The restaurant part will work Brian but we can’t go dancing with Gus.”

“Why not? Sonnyboy are you grown up enough to go to a dance club with Justin and me?”

“I’m nine years old, almost 10, Daddy. Of course I’m old enough to go anywhere with you and Uncle Justin. I don‘t know how 

to dance though but we did square dance in school once.”

“We’ll have to do something about that then. I’ll teach you while Justin puts the roast away.”

“One Kinney that can’t dance is enough Brian. We'll enroll him in a dance class so that he can learn how to really dance 

instead of doing whatever it is that you call dancing. Is that OK with you Gus?”

“Why don’t you teach me Uncle Justin, everyone has always told me how well you dance.”

“Don’t worry I'll help you but if you take a dance class you can learn more types of dancing than I can teach you. What 

dance club are you thinking about going to Brian?”

“Babylon of course.” 

“You have to be kidding, Melanie would have you short of two testicles 10 seconds after she hears about it and Lindsay would 

help hold you down.”

“We’ll go to Babylon first before it has time to get too wild and then go to the restaurant. We won’t be there very long and 

it won’t hurt the boy to see the place where you first tried to tame me. It still amazes me that you had the testicles to 

steal my tricks. How does Babylon sound to you Sonnyboy?”

“Intense, but Uncle Justin is right Mama and Mommy won’t be happy. What're testicles?”

“Sonnyboy you can’t make your parents happy all of the time. Besides I can handle their wrath. I want to dance with your 

Uncle Justin and I want to do it at Babylon, so that's what ww're going to do. Do we have to go by your mother‘s house or do 

you have a suit here?”

I've a suit here Daddy, but won’t I just get in the way if you and Uncle Justin are dancing? What're testicles?”

“Don’t worry I’ll have it under control. Why don’t you go take a shower and get dressed in your suit? Justin you do what 

you have to do with the roast and then you go get dressed.”

“Brian are you sure you know what you're doing?"

“Yes I do, I always know what I’m doing. Get going the both of you. I want to be out of the door in less than an hour, I 

have to make some calls, and then I’ll get ready too. Last one ready to go has to buy dessert.”

“That's really a safe bet on your part Brian, we all know you'll be last and that if given half a chance all you'll order for 

dessert is flavored ice. So the last one ready has to pay for whatever the first one ready decides to order. Everyone has 

to eat a serving of whatever's ordered.”

“It’s a bet, Sunshine.”

“Emmett, this's Brian. Funny Emmett yes it is Brian Kinney and I have too called you before. I need a favor tonight. 

Justin, Gus and I are going to Babylon and I need someone to watch over Gus while Sunshine and I dance. It won‘t be for long 

since we have dinner reservations for eight. Thanks Emmett I'll owe you.”

“I’m ready Daddy so I guess I get to order dessert.”

“That was the bet Sonnyboy. We don’t have to go to Babylon if you don’t want to go.”

“Of course I want to go, I’m sure that I'll spend a lot of time there when I’m older. But you have to promise to dance with 

me and to get Uncle Justin to dance with me too.”

“That's a given Sonnyboy but you promise me that you'll only talk or do anything with someone you know and I mean people that 

you know right this minute not someone you meet tonight. I know that you think that you're grown up but nine isn’t as grown 

up as you think.”

***

“Sunshine have you ever taken longer than me to get ready?”

“There has to be a first time for everything Brian. I had problems fitting that roast into the refrigerator or I would have 

been done before you like usual. Gus, go get in the Jeep.”

“Brian are you really sure about taking Gus to Babylon?”

“To be honest no, but it would break his heart if I backed down now. I’ve arranged for Emmett to be there to watch him when 

he isn’t with us. We won’t go near the back or the bars so it should be OK for the few minutes we'll be there. He wants to 

dance with both of us. He also told me that he expects that he'll spend a lot of time there when he's older. He really is 

sure that he'll be gay. Does he really know what being gay means?”

“Of course he expects to be gay what else should we expect. I don’t know what he thinks being gay means. To tell you the 

truth though I don’t even want to think about what'll happen when a twink Brian Kinney look-alike shows up at Babylon ready 

to trot.”

“Did you have to put that idea into my head? But Kinneys are never ready to trot. We better get going though, I hope you 

have plenty of money because I hate to imagine how much dessert that boy is going to order.”

***

“Thanks for coming Emmett I’m going to be in big enough trouble just for bringing him here; I hate to imagine what'd happen 

to me if anything happens to Sonnyboy.”

“Why did you bring him Brian?”

“My mouth started saying things before my brain could stop it. We won‘t be here for more than 30 minutes so it shouldn‘t be 

too much for him to handle.”

“Daddy, Uncle Justin really is a good dancer. He even made me look good. You better go dance with him now before one of the 

other guys steals him away. There certainly are a lot of guys staring at him. Hey Aunty Em, are you here to look after me?”

“Perceptive little twinky aren’t you Gussy?”

“Gus Aunty Em Gus, but of course Daddy was going to get someone to watch me while he's busy dancing with Uncle Justin. They 

look good together don’t they but does Daddy really call that dancing?”

“We've been wondering about that since before you were born. Honey would you do me the honor of dancing?”

“Sure Aunty Em but could we go over to that stairway so I can stand on it and be able to look into your eyes while we're 

dancing?”

“Sure can honey. Just take my hand and hang on while we push through the crowd.”

“Oh my god, where is he?”

“Who Brian?”

“Gus, he isn’t where I left him, I’ll kill Emmett.”

“Don’t worry Brian they are over at the stairway dancing. I wonder who figured out that Gus 3 steps up the stairway lets 

them dance on an even footing.”

“If I know anything that was Sonnyboy’s idea. This certainly wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had. I’ll dance with him the 

next song and then we can go eat. Why didn’t you stop me Sunshine?”

“I couldn’t have stopped you anymore than I could have stopped a runaway train. Everything has worked out fine. Look at him 

he's dancing better than you ever have.”

“Don’t rub it in Sunshine or I'll have to get even with you tonight after Gus is asleep.”

“Promise or threat?”

***

“May I cut in?”

“Sure Daddy, you and Aunty Em have a good dance.”

“I meant with you Augustus.”

“I know Daddy, just pulling your chain. I’m having a wonderful time but I’m almost ready to go.”

“Daddy that was fun but you should take dance lessons with me, you can use the help. Do you want me to keep our dance trip 

secret from Mommy and Mama?”

“No Gus tell them about it, they'll hear about it anyway. I imagine that all of Liberty Avenue has already heard about your 

appearance. Gossip is the only thing in the Universe that travels faster than the speed of light. Have you figured out what 

you're going to order for dessert? Justin is buying so don’t worry about the cost.”

“Your Dad has to eat whatever you order Gus so don’t worry about the calories either.”

“I have to wait and see what desserts are on the menu guys but don’t worry I won’t bankrupt you Uncle Justin or make you eat 

too many calories Daddy.”

***

“Gus did you have a good time tonight?”

“Let’s see Uncle Justin, I got to eat in the fanciest restaurant I’ve ever been in. I got to order the classiest dessert 

I’ve ever eaten and watch Daddy eat an entire serving of a dessert. I got to watch my Dads actually dance and kiss each 

other in public; but best of all I got to dance with you and Daddy in a real gay nightclub. I’ve had better nights.”

“You're getting better but that was just a bit too obvious Gus. I’m glad you had a great time. You do realize that you 

won’t be going back to Babylon for many years.”

“Well duh, I don’t want to go back until I can go without a babysitter and more importantly I know why it's fun to dance with 

another guy in a smoke filled club. It was fun to dance with you and Daddy but that was because it was you and Daddy and I 

like doing anything with you guys. Good night Uncle Justin I‘m tired and I need to go to sleep. I love you and tell Daddy 

that I love him too.”

“Good night little scamp, we love you too.”

***

“Brian you lucked out.”

“What do you mean Sunshine?”

“While he had a good time dancing with you and me he doesn’t want to go back until he knows why it's fun to dance with 

another guy. He certainly impressed the clientele though, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the crowd so quiet. I don‘t know if 

it was because of Gus, because he's your son, or simply the idea of a nine-year-old at Babylon.”

“Well it isn’t every night that they get to see King of Liberty Avenue, his consort Sunshine, and the crown prince. Not that 

they are going to see the crown prince there again anytime soon. How could I have been so stupid?

“I don’t really know Brian, you weren’t thinking with your head and you weren’t thinking with your dick. I guess you were 

thinking with your vanity.”

“Sunshine I should revenge myself for the unprovoked tickle attack of this afternoon and that vanity comment but I’m really 

in the mood to be ravaged. Are you up for ravaging me?”

“Are you kidding? Why in the world would I want to top you? Why would I want to stick my dick into your body in either or 

both orifices? Why would I want to bring you to unbearable levels of pleasure? Why would I want to thrill myself by using 

your body for my own pleasure while pleasuring you?”

“Justin this line of bull would work better if your dick wasn’t so hard you could use it to hammer nails into a 2x4.”

“It's always amazing how it gives my true feelings away. But Brian there's a pretty good sized tent on your side of the bed 

too.”

“Well Sunshine I think that our dicks are telling us something. We better listen to them. You ravage me and then I’ll 

ravage you.”

“Brian why're we talking like a pair of Vikings getting ready to sack an Irish farmhouse full of virgin farmhands?”

“I don’t have a clue Sunshine.”

“Well then you are going to be ravaged like you have never been ravaged before.”

“Promise or threat?”

***

“Where've you been Brian? It isn’t often when I wake up on a Saturday morning and you aren’t still asleep in my arms. 

Especially after being ravaged like you were ravaged last night.”

“I think you set a new record Sunshine, 3 times, of course the last one really wasn’t much in the way of ravaging but more in 

the line of cuddling with a physical connection.”

“Well by then I didn’t have the strength to do more than just hold you tight with as much slow movement as possible. It 

reminded me of the first time we made love after the bashing. That's one of my favorite memories of all time.”

“I enjoy that memory as well Sunshine. To answer your question I've been at the office. Trying to figure out exactly 

whatwould be necessary to open a new ad agency. I never realized how many items are required to operate a quality operation. 

From a building to office supplies it's mind boggling.”

“So you remembered what Gus suggested before you got the bright idea of taking him to Babylon. I still can’t believe we did 

that.”

“You can’t believe it, I’m the one who is going to have to face the wrath of the Munchers.”

“We really must've tired him out since I haven’t heard anything from him and he isn’t one to stay in bed late on a Saturday. 

I better get up and get breakfast ready, though I suppose brunch would be more accurate.”

“You get cleaned up and I'll go wake Sonnyboy up. 

Shit! Justin he isn‘t in his bed. You sure you didn‘t hear him get up? Where could he be?”

“Brian calm down, he'll be in the house somewhere, he probably was just extra quiet so as to not wake us up. He’s probably 

watching TV with the earphones on.”

“You’re probably right Sunshine, that wasn’t like me, and I guess I really am feeling guilty about the Babylon adventure.”

“Are you going to just stand there all day?”

“Well, as long as you are standing over there naked I’m standing here staring at you.”

“Then throw me my robe so we can go look for Gus and ask him what he wants to eat.”

“Spoilsport, catch.”

***

“Hey guys, it's about time you woke up. Dancing takes that much out of you?” I’ve got everything ready for breakfast Uncle 

Justin.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry I didn’t do anything dangerous. I didn’t use a knife and I haven’t cooked anything. I’ve just got everything 

ready so all you have to do is cook it. I’ve got the eggs and milk scrambled up in a bowl, the bread counted out for toast, 

bacon slices counted out on a plate, the table set and the milk glasses in the freezer so they'll make the milk extra cold 

when it's poured. Don’t worry Dad I only counted one of each for you, I know you ate a lot last night so you won’t want 

toomuch this morning.”

“Well Sonnyboy for your information I had a very strenuous night so I'm extra hungry. So you better add a couple more of 

everything for me.”

“Three eggs, Daddy, you never eat three eggs.”

“I do after a night like I had last night.”

“Brian!”

“OK I’ll add the extra Daddy but I’ll be watching to make sure you don’t waste any food.”

“Gus who's the parent here?”

“Me!”

“Justin when did you teach Sonnyboy how to light up a room with a Sunshine smile?”

***

“Well Sonnyboy did I clean up my plate or what? Everything was delicious by the way.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed breakfast Brian. It always makes me feel better when you actually eat a whole meal.”

“Justin I eat what I want to eat. After 7 years you should be reconciled to the fact that I won’t eat as much as you want me 

to eat.”

“I can always hope Brian, I can always hope. I can find out what Gus did to make the eggs especially tasty so that you'll 

always want more than one piddling egg.”

“I think it had more to do with an Irish farmhouse than how Gus mixed up the eggs.”

“What are you talking about Daddy?”

“Nothing Sonnyboy, just grownup talk.”

“Something you don’t want to explain to me then.”

“Yes that's a good assessment of the story Gus.”

***

“Now that I’ve gotten everything cleaned up we can go to the living room and figure out what we are going to do for the rest 

of the day.”

“Do we have to do something Uncle Justin?"

“No Gus we can just laze around the house all day. I‘ve got to put the roast back in the oven though so I need to know when 

we're going to eat so that I'll know when to start it.”

“Regular supper time is OK with me Justin, I need to work on these figures I got from the office. It'll probably take all 

afternoon just to get an idea if starting my own agency is even possible.”

“I’m going to go see if any of the guys want to play in my tree house.”

“OK Gus but be careful when yo're in it. We haven‘t checked for any damage caused by last winter yet.”

“Don’t worry Daddy I’m not a baby I'll check for anything dangerous before we actually play in it. I went dancing at a club 

after all. Wait until I tell the guys about that. Daddy why did you gasp like that?”

“No reason Gus I just thought about something I forgot to do at the office while I was there.”

***

“Supper'll be ready in an hour Brian. How's the figuring going? Hey Gus did you and your friends have a good afternoon?”

“Sure Uncle Justin we played Monopoly and Risk and then we just talked about our plans for this summer. I didn’t say 

anything about last night though.”

“Why not Gus?”

“I knew what Daddy’s gasp meant Uncle Justin.”

“He was right though about your mothers finding out, so don’t try to keep it a secret from them.”

“I don’t know why they'll get mad, it isn’t like I saw anything or that anything happened. I was never out or your sight or 

Daddy’s sight, or Aunty Em’s sight and most of the time all three of you were watching me. Uncle Justin do you really enjoy 

going to that smoky place?”

“Not as much as I used to Gus. I'll probably enjoy tonight more, just the three of us watching television and talking.”

“Damnation, there simply isn’t anyway this is going to work.”

“What's the matter Brian?”

“Starting a new firm, from scratch, is simply too expensive. I would have to borrow too much money to make it work.”

“Are you sure, we don’t have any outstanding debts so you should be able to get a loan. Your reputation in the industry 

should make any bank willing to take the chance that you'll be successful.”

“Using every penny I have in the bank, all of my savings, except for Gus’ college fund, even using the house as collateral 

for a loan there simply isn’t enough. While I've no doubt that I could get a loan for the amount necessary; it would be much 

bigger than I would be comfortable owing. I guess I’m stuck with Vance until he makes me quit.”

“Brian I've a fair amount of money put away. My artwork has been selling well. That should help with securing a loan.”

“No way Justin, I’m not going to use a penny of your money in some risky attempt to start a new company just because I can’t 

stand working with Vance.”

“You won’t even discuss it? You don’t even know how much I have.”

“It doesn’t matter, you could have more than I need and I wouldn’t use your money.”

“Brian Kinney I don’t believe you said that.”

“What did I say, I’m not going to risk your money just to help me out.”

“Well then you can just fuck yourself, I’m out of here. You god damn selfish bastard.”

“Justin what's the matter?”

“Talk about adding insult to injury, but then why doesn’t it surprise me that you don’t know what you just said to me. Gus 

don’t forget to tell your Daddy to take the roast out in an hour.”

“Uncle Justin don’t leave, Daddy didn’t mean what he said.”

“Sunshine what the fuck's the matter with you?”

“I’m leaving Brian don’t come looking for me, I’ll be back when I’m ready and not before.”

“Daddy aren’t you going to go after him?”

“No Sonnyboy, Brian Kinney doesn’t chase after anyone. Besides when he gets in a mood like this he can‘t hear what I‘m 

saying anyway.”

 

***

“Emmett, isn’t that Justin sitting at the bar?”

“Why Teddy I believe you're right, I wonder where Brian is? I hope they learned their lesson last night and didn’t bring 

Gussy to Woody’s.”

“What did they do last night?”

“You didn’t hear, I would have thought every gay person in Pittsburgh would have heard about the King of Liberty Avenue 

presenting his 9-year-old son to the throngs of Babylon.”

“They took Gus to Babylon, well that explains why Justin's sitting alone.”

“What do you mean Teddy?”

“Melanie has already murdered Brian.”

“Teddy you can be funny when you try.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny I really meant it.”

“Don’t be silly Melanie wouldn’t kill him, castrate him maybe but she wouldn’t kill him. If she killed him who would she 

have to pick on?”

“Hey Michael we're going over to talk with Justin.”

“Hi Justin, where’s Brian, I can’t remember the last time the two of you were more than 10 feet apart when out in public.”

“Emmett I don’t know where the bastard is. I left him at home, I suppose the prick is still there.”

“What's the matter Justin?’

“What did you do this time Boy Wonder?”

“Michael stick a pool cue up your ass and then go jump out of the window and land on it.”

“I just asked a perfectly valid question.”

“Well then go ask your fucking best friend in the world what the god damn hell he did. Of course he probably doesn’t have a 

fucking clue.”

“Bye guys see you later.”

“Well the little shit couldn’t even wait 10 seconds to run tattling could he?”

“Justin how much have you had to drink? This isn’t like you at all, you usually know how to tune Michael out when he's 

acting like a twit.”

“Well Em I’ve been here an hour or so, this's my second orange juice.”

“You aren’t drinking? Brian really must've screwed up this time.”

“The worst part is that he really has no idea what he did to piss me off so much that I ran out of the house like a drama 

queen.”

“What'd he do sweetheart?”

“He still fucking thinks I’m a little boy that he has to protect all of the time. I’m making good money between my 

illustrating job and my artwork but he won’t even consider using my money. No Mr. Big Shot Brian Kinney is the only one who 

can provide for our family.”

“Justin you aren’t going to leave him over this are you?”

“No Ted I’m just venting, I’ll go home in a few hours when I cool down enough that I can try talking to him again. 

Everything had been going so well, we had such a wonderful time last night, even considering the stupidity of taking Gus to 

Babylon.”

“I almost fell over when he asked me to come and watch Gus while the two of you were dancing. A nine-year-old at Babylon, 

that has to be a first. How did Gussy like his dancing adventure?”

“He loved being at an adult place with Brian and me but he doesn’t want to go back until he can go without a babysitter. 

More importantly though he doesn’t understand why anyone would want to go to such a smoky place just to dance with other 

guys. Talk about being relieved when he said that.”

“Hopefully he'll tell Mel that and she won’t kill or mutilate Brian.”

“At this moment I would help Lindsay hold him down while Mel wielded the knife.”

“Justin you really aren’t that angry are you?”

“No Emmett I’m not, but he did make me so angry, not so much that he refused to consider using my money but that he didn’t 

have a clue as to why I got mad. I suppose I should be used to it, when he's 100 and I’m 88 he'll be treating me like a 

little twink that doesn’t know enough to come out of the rain.”

“He isn’t that bad Justin.”

“I know, and I've cooled off enough that I could go home now but Michael would be there and I might feel the need to pull 

most of the hair off of his body starting with that stupid chest rodent. Do you guys know what was the most scary thing 

about taking Gus to Babylon last night?”

“What honey?”

“The thought of what it's going to be like if Gus does turn out to be gay and wants to go to Babylon, or any of the other 

clubs, when he turns 16. Can you imagine the terror of every twink in Pittsburgh who has to go through the Brian Kinney 

inquisition in order to date Gus? Of course no one in Pittsburgh'll ever dare to actually have sex with Gus knowing what 

Brian would do to anyone that touched his Sonnyboy. ”

“Hell Justin you're going to be stuck with that whether Gus is gay or straight Brian'll interrogate any girl that wants to 

date his Sonnyboy, of course there're probably more girls that would stand up to Brian than gay twinks that would stand up to 

him.”

“I hadn’t thought of that but you're right except that after the first time Brian interrogates someone Gus really cares about 

he'll make Brian see the error of his ways. Gus can manipulate Brian almost as well as I can. Well guys it's been 

enjoyable but I better be leaving, Michael'll have told Brian where I am by now and Brian'll probably come looking for me. 

Of course we all know that Brian doesn’t chase after anyone for any reason. So he won’t be here looking for me but he'll have 

had an unexplainable urge to come to Woody’s. If you see him tell him that I'll be home before the old curfew.”

“Curfew, what curfew?”

“Bye guys.”

***

“Mom what're you doing at the Liberty Diner on a Saturday evening?”

“I’m waiting for Debbie to finish up her shift, if it's any of your business. We're going to a movie.”

“It just surprised me to find you here.”

“Speaking of surprises why're you here without Brian and Gus?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“I know that Gus is spending the weekend with you two and I’ve already heard the gossip about last night. I probably wasn’t 

here two minutes before I heard that surprising item. What were the two of you thinking? Taking a nine-year-old boy to a gay 

nightclub.”

“Are you going to give me time to answer any of your questions?

“Do you have any answers Justin?”

“Of course I have answers. I’m here alone because I’m hungry and I left Brian, with Gus, at the house to figure out why I’m 

angry with him. We took Gus to Babylon because Brian let his vanity conquer his common sense. But don’t worry Gus was 

never in any danger, we weren’t there very long and he was very unimpressed with idea of dancing with another guy in a smoky 

club. I guess Emmett isn‘t his type.”

“Be that as it may be Lindsay and Melanie are not going to be happy with either of you.”

“Well Brian can stand up for himself, right now I’m angry enough to not care what they do to him.”

“What'd the big lug do this time, Sunshine?”

“Deb he still can’t think of me as anything other than his little Sunshine. My money isn’t good enough to help him. How 

many times has he helped me over the years and the first time I can help him he won’t even think about it. Hell I probably 

don‘t have enough to make a difference but he could've at least considered my offer. He wouldn‘t even think about using my 

money for something to make him happy. No I‘m just little Sunshine who needs to be taken care of.”

“Honey you aren’t going to do anything silly are you?”

“No Mom I still love the idiot and I'll go home tonight. I was just waiting to cool down enough that I'll be able to talk to 

him. I didn’t want to scare Gus by storming in and giving Brian a piece of my mind as loud as I could possibly shout. I 

probably upset him with the way I stormed out as it is. The little scamp thinks we are pretty much perfect, I certainly 

spoiled that image for him.”

“Why're you here then Justin?”

“Well Deb your pride and joy is probably already tattling to Brian about me being in Woody’s by myself so I figured I had to 

get out of there before Brian comes looking for me. Though he probably doesn’t know why I got mad in the first place and he 

doesn’t chase after anyone.”

“I’m sorry sweetheart I wish Michael could get over his jealousy of you and Brian. I think that if Ben hadn’t been killed in 

that train crash then Michael would've been able to get past his desire for Brian.”

“That's the worst part Deb, he knows full well that he's never going to get anything sexual from Brian. He hasn’t tried to 

get Brian into bed since before I left Brian for Ethan. He simply doesn’t want Brian to be with me because that says that 

Brian changed for me when he wouldn’t change for him. What's the special tonight Deb? I ran out of the house before I 

finished supper, I hope Brian remembered to take the roast out of the oven.”

“Well Jennifer that proves we don’t have to worry about our boys. If Sunshine were truly angry enough to leave Brian he 

certainly wouldn’t be worrying about whether the big lug took a roast out of the oven. The special tonight is a Pork Cutlet 

with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, and bread. I‘ll have Ronny come take your order since my shift is over and your 

mother and I have plans.”

“Thanks Deb. Mom I'll try to see you more often. Is Molly going to be home tomorrow? I’ll bring Gus over to see his Aunt 

Mollusk, if she's going to be there, when I take him back to Mel and Lindsay. It just occurred to me that he's probably 

going to want to start riding his bike between the two houses. Where has the time gone, he'll be the big 1 0 this 

September.”

“As far as I know she should be home, she has a big paper due this week so she should be working on it. While she'll be 

thrilled to see Gus, you know how much she dislikes the fact that you got Gus into the habit of calling her that.”

“Why do you think I got him to do it?”

“Justin you scamp.”

***

“Hi Mikey what brings you here on a Saturday evening?”

“Do you know where Justin is?”

“Well Mikey he's a grown man, I don’t have to keep track of him every second of the day.”

“He’s at Woody’s, getting drunk and flirting with every man that talks to him.”

“I doubt that Mikey. Would you like to eat supper with Gus and me? We're having hot roast beef sandwiches.”

“Didn’t you hear what I said about Justin?”

“I know that Justin left this afternoon because I did something to get him angry but I know that he'll come back tonight once 

he has cooled down.”

“Mikey I think it is time you went home, Daddy and I have plans after supper.”

“Sonnyboy, mind your manners.”

“OK Daddy. Mikey would you please go home. Daddy and I have things we have to do tonight.”

“I don’t believe this Brian, tell the boy to mind his own business.”

“I think you probably better go Mikey, thanks for coming by.”

“You're letting a little boy tell you what to do now. Bye Brian I’ll see you soon; that's if your two little boys let you 

out of the house.”

“Bye Mikey. When is that man going to grow up and realize that Justin and I are a couple and will always be a couple.”

“What did you say Daddy?”

“Nothing Gus I was just talking to myself. That was very rude of you to tell Mikey to go home. Do you want anything on your 

sandwich?”

“Brown gravy is what goes on a hot beef sandwich Daddy.”

“Well Sonnyboy gravy isn’t something I really want to tackle tonight.”

“Uncle Justin was going to teach me tonight but I guess that isn’t going to happen. Daddy do you really not know why Uncle 

Justin got mad?”

“No Gus I don’t but that's nothing new.”

“Daddy how could you not know?”

“I suppose that means that you know?”

“Of course I know, I would've been just as mad as Uncle Justin if you had done it to me.”

“What did I do then?”

“You told Uncle Justin that he doesn’t matter in this family.”

“What're you talking about Gus? Justin knows better than that?”

“Yes he knows but don’t you think it would hurt all the more when you tell him that you don’t think he matters?”

“Gus are you going to tell me what I did or not?

“Only if you promise me that you'll chase after him and make him happy.”

“It won’t be the first time I’ve chased after Justin, and I'll try to make him happy, I love making Sunshine happy.”

“I thought you said you don’t chase after anyone?”

“Sunshine isn’t anyone Gus. What did I do?”

“Daddy if I offered to give you the money from my horsy bank to help you start your own agency what would you do?”

“Gus why did you pick out a horsy bank instead of a piggy bank like every other kid in America?“ 

“I don’t remember Daddy but when I filled the first one and had to get a second one I picked another horse because it bothers 

you.”

“Why would you pick something because it bothers me?”

“It's fun to pick on you and you know that I don’t mean anything by it Daddy; but what's your answer to my question?”

I would tell you that I wouldn’t risk using your money since it's your money. Oh my effing god; I really wasn’t that stupid 

was I?

“Yes Daddy you were. You told Uncle Justin that you wouldn’t even think about using his money to help you in your business 

career. You told Uncle Justin that he's still the boy in your relationship. That you'll always take care of him but he can 

never take care of you.”

“I did didn’t I? Sonnyboy are you sure you're only nine? Let’s eat these sandwiches and then I'll drop you off with your 

mothers and I'll chase after Justin and make him realize that I didn’t know I was being so stupid. He'll accept that 

explanation since it isn’t the first time I’ve done it.”

“Daddy I would prefer that you take me to the Diner and I'll stay with Debbie until you and Uncle Justin make up. Then Uncle 

Justin can teach both of us how to make gravy tomorrow.”

“OK Sonnyboy; sounds like a plan.”

***

“Sonnyboy I’ve been thinking that I would use your money if you offered to loan it to me.”

“Thanks Daddy but I doubt if my few hundred dollars would make a difference. It's the thought that counts though.”

“You've hundreds of dollars in your horsy banks?”

“No Daddy I have spare change in my banks but I've $376.51 in my savings account.”

“Where did you get that kind of money?”

“Let’s see, I've a Daddy who buys me fancy clothes and gives me money on my birthday and Christmas. I haven’t spent much of 

it Daddy and Mama started putting it into the savings account as soon as I could sign my name on the deposit slip, and the 

savings account pays interest.”

“Sonnyboy I think I should get Justin to teach me how to buy presents for a boy as well as how to dance and to make gravy.”

“He would really like that Daddy. Daddy isn‘t that Debbie walking down the street?”

“Looks like her to me. HEY DEB wait up a minute.”

“Hi guys why're you following me down the street?”

“Hi Debbie, hi Grandma Jen; where're you two going?”

“We're going to a movie Gus.”

“Could I go with you? Daddy needs someone to look after me while he chases after Uncle Justin and apologizes for being 

stupid this afternoon.”

“Sonnyboy you don’t have to spill all of our dirty laundry.”

“Sorry Daddy I didn’t think, doesn’t that prove I’m your son?”

“Gus, you brat. Ladies you can stop laughing now.”

“Brian you don’t have a chance. Between Gus and Justin they have you fenced in.”

“Sure Jen push the knife in even deeper. Deb you can quit laughing anytime.”

“Brian you don’t have far to go to chase after him, Justin's in the Diner. Tread carefully the ice is pretty thin on Lake 

Sunshine.”

“Thanks Deb, could you drop Gus off at the house after the movie and stay with him if Justin and I aren’t there?”

“No problem kiddo but I don’t get many dates with such a handsome young fella so I might find something else to do with him 

after the movie. We won’t keep him up too late though.”

“Gus try to keep these ladies from getting into too much trouble.”

“Brian.”

“Brian Kinney you asshole, sorry Gus.”

“Don’t worry Daddy I’ll keep them in line.”

“Gussy.”

***

“Justin, I’m sorry.”

“You think that's going to be enough?”

“No but it's a start.”

“You really think so.”

“I hope so Sunshine.”

“Brian I’m still pretty angry with you.”

“Justin I’m pretty angry with myself. Let’s get out of here. The Liberty Avenue gossip mill's going into overtime; what 

with our little adventure last night and idea that we had a fight today.”

“OK I’ll go with you but not to the house. Where's Gus?”

“Gus is escorting your mother and Deb to a movie.”

“That boy is really getting a grownup weekend. Goes to a gay dance club on Friday and takes two women on a date on 

Saturday.”

“He’s been the most adult member of the family this weekend, at least of the Kinney part.”

“The Taylor part acted childishly too Brian.”

***

“Why're we going to the Munchers?”

“We aren’t going there Sunshine just the general neighborhood.”

“Why this neighborhood?”

“Justin I need to prove to you that I’ve seen the error of my ways and I thought of the perfect place to do it.”

“Brian why're we stopping at this little park?”

“Don’t you remember what happened here 7 years ago? Just go sit in the sandbox.”

“The sandbox? Is Gus going to jump between us again?”

“You do remember? Seven years ago a little blond angel figured out how to make two stubborn men admit what they really 

wanted. Tonight that same blond angel made one overly proud man admit to himself how stupidly he had acted earlier in the 

day. Justin you would've been so proud of Sonnyboy, he told Mikey to go home and then he proceeded to let me know what I did 

that hurt you so much. I don’t know why I was so stupid. You have to know that I really don’t think of you as a little boy 

anymore, I never thought of you as a little boy. I just didn’t think. You would think that I would have learned to think 

before I talk but that may never happen. I'm just so used to taking care of myself and those I love that it didn’t occur to 

me that you would want to take care of me when you could. I’m so sorry that I hurt you in that way. If you're still willing 

I'll add whatever you have available into what I have to see if we can start our own agency.”

“Of course I’m willing, I hope I've enough to matter but what hurt was your immediate dismissal of my offer of help. Gus 

sent Mikey home; he really is my son after all. The main reason I left the house was that I didn’t want to have a screaming 

match with you with Gus there to watch his perfect Dads act like a pair of idiots. I know how much you value your 

independence and your ability to take care of your family but you're going to have to let me help once in a while. 

What do you mean our agency?"

“You should have seen him run Mikey off. He figured out before I did that Mikey was there just to tattle on you and to cause 

trouble between us. Gus wasn’t going to have any of that and he politely told Mikey to go home. Why can’t Michael accept 

that we're a family? Justin anytime I don’t let you help you're going to have to make me see reason. I love you and I don’t 

want to risk that in any possible way including my own stupidity. It'll be our agency if we both put up money to found it. 

I would also expect you to be the head of the art department as well as be a partner.”

“Certainly I'll head the art department but I'll only be as much of a partner as my money's a part of the total spent.”

“What does that mean?”

“Simple Brian we'll not be equal partners unless I put up an equal amount of money and that's very unlikely to happen.”

“I guess I can live with that but I insist that you have the right to buy more shares until we're equal, if you want to, in 

the future. Who knows you might sell a painting for a million dollars someday.”

“I can only wish but I suppose you could pose naked again, that might be a painting I could sell for a million.”

“It's good that the lighting is poor in this park, I wouldn’t want you to see me blushing. You can paint me naked anytime 

you want Sunshine.”

“Brian do you remember what we did the last time we were in this sandbox?”

“Yes I do. I think we did some serious fooling around in the sand. Does that sunshine smile I can see, despite this poor 

lighting, mean that you want to repeat history?”

***

“Gus it's about time you got up, it's almost noon.”

“Daddy those two women almost wore me out. I’ve never stayed up after midnight before. I didn’t know there were so many 

things to do so late on a Saturday.”

“What all did you do Gus?”

“After the movie we went to the arcade. Then we went bowling, grandma Jen is very good Uncle Justin. Then we went to a 

coffeehouse where we listened to some guys read poetry then Debbie noticed that I couldn‘t keep my eyes open so she brought 

me home. I don’t really remember how I got into bed.”

“I hope you enjoyed the weekend Gus, you won’t get to do so many adult things for a while.”

“That doesn’t’ matter Uncle Justin I'll remember everything I’ve done for a long time. I mean I got to drink coffee for the 

first time, even if it had 5 times as much milk as coffee it was coffee. I got to eat at a fancy restaurant and order 

dessert. I got to dance with my Dads at a real gay dance club. Most importantly I was able to help my Dads get over a 

stupid fight.”

“Gus I've a feeling that you'll be helping me and your Uncle Justin for the rest of our lives. Just don’t let it go to your 

head.”

“Daddy.”

“Gus what do you want for dinner? I told Mom I would bring you over to see Molly before I take you back to your mothers”

“Uncle Justin did you forget that you were going to teach me how to make gravy? Daddy's going to learn too.”

“I guess that means we're going to have hot beef sandwiches then.”

***

“Brian I’m back, and Melanie had heard the gossip and was ready to carve me up in practice for your surgery. Gus saved our 

skins though. He told her that while it was your idea you gave him the option of not going and that he wanted to go. That 

you made sure he was never out of the sight and reach of one of us or Emmett. What saved our skins though was when he told 

her that he didn’t understand why we wanted to dance with another guy in a smoky club. When I left he was telling her about 

his date with the older women.”

“Justin if we use the money you have saved and figure in how much you would be likely to make at the agency and selling 

artwork there's still no way that we can get a loan big enough to start a quality business. Or if we could get a loan that 

big I wouldn’t be comfortable with how much it would cost every month. We could start a shoestring company but that 

wouldn’t prove anything. It was a good idea though; maybe in a few years after we’ve saved some more we can try again.”

“Brian I just had a thought; why don’t you see if you can buy Vance out. That wouldn’t cost as much as starting a company 

from scratch would it?”

“Sunshine that's brilliant, why didn’t I think of it? Don’t answer that question, I know the answer, you're bright one in 

the family.”

Epilogue

Gardner Vance was more than happy to sell his share of the company. Vanguard Advertising became the Kinney-Taylor Ad Agency 

on July 1 2010. Brian Kinney had 8 partner votes; Justin Taylor had 2 partner votes. Brian delegated 4 of his votes to 

Augustus Brian Peterson-Marcus with Melanie Marcus acting as his advisor; over the years Justin invested in the company until 

the partner votes were split evenly.


	4. The Gus Chronicles(Grade-School Years)

SEPTEMBER 2012 

 

Gus Peterson-Marcus was standing on the playground of his new school waiting to start the first day of the sixth grade. Even though Gus was a very confident young man he was concerned because for the first time in his school career he wasn't attending the G A Custer Elementary school but was going to Crazy Horse Middle School. Instead of having one teacher for all subjects he was going to have a different teacher for each subject. Gus wasn't really worried that he   
would have any more problems with his school work in the 6th grade than he had   
in the past 6 years at Custer Elementary but he had found that it was wise to be   
prepared for unexpected situations. Mainly Gus liked to be prepared for every   
possible little detail, he didn't like surprises. Maybe he would have a teacher   
that didn't like him. Maybe the class work would be harder than he expected,   
Maybe he wouldn't be able to charm every other student in the school like he had   
in the past. None of these were likely to happen but Gus worried about them and   
other unlikely events simply because it was his nature to be prepared for any   
possibility. 

At Custer everyone had known about his family, here at Crazy Horse only those   
students who had also attended Custer Elementary would know about his mothers   
and fathers. Gus was wondering if he should tell his teachers right away or if   
he should wait until it was something they really needed to know. He had been   
brought up to believe that people should be judged by their own behavior and   
actions, not by what group they belonged to. So Gus finally decided that he   
wouldn't advertise his family makeup until it was actually required to answer   
some situation he might find himself involved with. He didn't realize that his   
permanent record had come with him to Crazy Horse and therefore any of his   
teachers who wanted to know about the families of their students already knew   
about the family situations involved.

As the day went on Gus and his classmates found that the school day wasn't   
really that much different from what they had known at their elementary schools.   
There were 9 classrooms of each of the 3 grades, 6th, 7th, and 8th, at the   
school, the teachers rotated from room to room instead of the students moving   
from room to room like they would when they got to High School. Crazy Horse   
students came from 3 different elementary schools, Custer, Benteen, and Reno,   
each classroom of the sixth grade was evenly divided(as much as possible) with   
students from each of the elementary schools. So of the 30 students in his   
classroom Gus already knew 9 and by the end of the first day he was friendly   
with all of the students in his classroom. Gus had never had any problems making   
friends. His best friend, Lance Smith, from Custer was in a different 6th grade   
classroom though.

At the start of each hour a new teacher had come to the classroom, introduced   
themselves and the course they would be teaching and giving the students a basic   
overview of what would be accomplished in the coming year, handed out textbooks,   
a few even gave homework assignments. Gus found that he would have Math,   
English, Physical Education, and Fine Arts before lunch. Fine Arts was a mixture   
of Art and Music with two teachers. After lunch he would study Spanish, Social   
Studies, and Science. There were no interschool sports for 6th graders but there   
were intramural programs after school. Interschool events started with the 7th   
grade. Gus was already looking forward to playing football as it was by far his   
favorite sport. 

The Social Studies teacher, Mr. Hickenbottom, had told the class that they would   
be studying World History with an emphasis on cultural development through the   
years. As a part of this they would be doing a year long project involving   
genealogy. In addition to the standard information on their family trees they   
would also try to find out cultural information of their ancestors. Where the   
person was born, what part of the country and any other cultural items possible.   
Mr. Hickenbottom gave the example of a family friend who was born in Germany but   
wasn't German because he was the child of an American serviceman stationed in   
Germany at the time. Mr. Hickenbottom emphasized that they not get worried if   
they couldn't find everything out for every ancestor but that they would learn   
how to use the school computers to research as much as possible. But it was   
always best to get as much information from family sources first. Gus   
immediately thought of how his unique family situation was going to effect this   
project. When the bell rang to end the class he asked Mr. Hickenbottom when   
would be a good time for a private talk about the project. 

"Gus, I'm free right after school, meet me in the Library." 

"OK Mr. Hickenbottom I'll see you then." 

When they met in the Library an hour later Gus started the conversations with   
"Mr. Hickenbottom I have to ask you a question about the family tree project. I   
have a unique family and I wanted to know if I need to research all four parts   
or just the biologic part?" 

"I don't understand Gus." 

"Well I have 2 lesbian mothers and 2 gay fathers. How do I make a family tree showing this situation?" 

"Hmm, that is a question I haven't dealt with before. I think that the best   
answer would be that for your official project you just do the family tree using   
your biological parents and their families. But I'll look into how we can show   
your other parents and their families for your own personal family tree." 

"Thanks Mr. Hickenbottom, that sounds like a good solution to me. Thanks for   
meeting with me." 

"No problem Gus feel free to ask me anything you need to know as the year goes on." 

 

When Gus got home the house was empty since his Mom and Mama felt that he was   
old enough now to be alone for a few hours. They had decided during the past   
summer that one of them didn't have to be home when he got there from school.   
Gus did the very little bit of homework he had been assigned. Then he mowed the   
lawn and was just cleaning up when his Mama got home from work. 

"Hi Mama, I found out today that we will be doing a family tree project for   
Social Studies." 

"That sounds interesting Gus." 

"I asked the teacher about my situation and how I should deal with it." 

"Oh?" 

"He said that for the official project I should just do my biological family but that we would work out a way to have yours 

and Uncle Justin's families as a part of a family tree just for   
me." 

"That sounds reasonable." 

"Do you have your family tree available, he said that while we will do research on the net it's always best to start with 

what the family already has." 

"Yes I have a family tree that my Aunt did years ago, it goes back at least 5 generations for some of the branches though it 

probably isn't up to date with the latest generation." 

"That will give me a great start. Do you think Mom has anything like that?" 

"Knowing your grandmother Peterson, she probably had a family tree, researched by the most famous genealogists of Pittsburgh, 

going all the way back to the Romans." 

"Mama!" 

"Just kidding Gus. We'll ask when Linds gets home." 

"How about Dad and Uncle Justin?" 

"You will have to ask them, I'm sure that Jennifer will have something on her family and   
probably Justin's Dad's side as well. Brian I wouldn't count on having much in   
the way of a family history." 

"Why is that?" 

"He didn't have a happy childhood Gus and hasn't kept in touch with his family, as far as I know anyway. You will just have 

to ask him though." 

"Well I hate to bring up anything that will cause him pain." 

"Gus don't worry about it just ask him what he knows and accept what   
he tells you. He loves you with all of his heart and will help you as much as he   
can. Just don't expect a lot with this particular question because I really   
doubt that he knows much." 

"OK Mama, what are we going to have for supper?" 

"What do you want to make?" 

"You mean you will let me cook?" 

"Sure, what has Justin taught you to make lately?" 

"We made Reubens the last time I was over there." 

"Sounds good to me, do you think we have the makings or will we have to go get them?" 

"I'll go check. Thanks Mama I love cooking, do you think that means anything?" 

"No Gus it doesn't mean anything except that you like doing things that Justin does." 

"Well I don't like kissing Dad as much as Uncle Justin does." 

"I'm glad, young man, that you said that with a grin on your face." 

"Mama you don't know how hard I've had to work over the years to get them to kiss when I'm around." 

"What?" 

"They won't kiss in front of me so I have to pretend to be looking somewhere else   
first." 

"Why?" 

"I think that Dad is embarrassed if he thinks I can see them." 

"Well that is something I never thought I would hear, Brian Kinney being   
embarrassed about kissing a guy." 

"Mama you won't say anything will you?" 

"No Gus your secret is safe with me." 

"Did you know that Deb tried to tell me once that Uncle Mikey had kissed Dad in front of her."

"She did?" 

"Yes and I told her that Dad had only kissed Uncle Justin and me. What is so funny Mama?" 

"I just thought of a joke I heard today at work." 

 

When Lindsay arrived, just in time to eat supper, she told Gus that yes she had   
an extensive family tree that he would be able to use. It didn't quite go back   
to the Romans but there were branches that went back 400 years. 

"Mom do you think that Dad will have anything on his family? Mama doesn't think that he   
knows much about them." 

"What is with this Mom and Dad business Gus? I thought we're Mommy and Daddy." 

"Mom I'm in the 6th grade now I have to grow up you know and Mommy and Daddy are so juvenile." 

"Don't get upset Gussy I was just asking." 

"Gus Mom." 

"I know son, but Gussy just sounds so right sometimes." 

"What about Dad and his family?" 

"I don't know Gus, you will just have to ask him and accept what he gives you. Don't press him about his family though Gus 

that is a sore subject for him. It was painful for him long before you were born and it still is." 

"Why?" 

"It's a long story and someday he might be willing to talk to you about it but I wouldn't press him yet." 

"OK Mom. I never want to hurt any of you." 

"I know that honey. So you made supper again, it was delicious." 

"Uncle Justin is a good teacher." 

"Justin is just a good person in every way Gus, I hope you appreciate that. This weekend when you are over there you can ask 

Justin and Brian what they know about their family histories." 

"OK Mom." 

 

After school on Friday Gus went to his Dads house instead of his mothers since   
he was spending the weekend with them. No one was home so he took his stuff up   
to his room. He was looking at the mural of the petting zoo that covered the   
walls, that his Uncle Justin had painted years ago when they had first moved   
into the house, when he decided that it was time to change the decoration of his   
room. But he didn't want to hurt Uncle Justin's feelings by asking to cover up   
his work of art. 

"Gus what are you thinking about?" 

"Uncle Justin I didn't hear you come home." 

"Judging by how you are staring at the walls you have decided that you are too old for a petting zoo mural in your bedroom." 

"Uncle Justin how do you read my mind? But I don't want to hurt your feelings by covering all of   
this up." 

"Gus I told you when we moved in that whenever you were ready to change it to not worry about it." 

"But Uncle Justin it's so pretty." 

"Tell you what Gus pick out 4 areas that you especially like and we will have those   
sections of the wall removed and we will have them framed as pictures. We'll   
have the holes patched and then we can do whatever you want to the wall." 

"That sounds great, I'll have to think about what parts I want saved but I just want   
plain paint so that I can put up pictures and posters on the walls." 

"That sounds just like my room back when I lived with Mom and Dad." 

"Then that is what I want. By the way I have a project for Social Studies class that I need to ask you and Dad about." 

"Dad?" 

"Yes I have decided that I'm too old for Daddy and Mommy, do you have a problem with that?" 

"No Gussy." 

"Uncle Justin!!" 

"Sorry Gus I couldn't resist. What is your project?" 

"We're going to learn about various world cultures and so we're going to do family trees, with as much cultural information 

that we can find in addition to the standard genealogy information." 

"Sounds interesting but Gus I'm not a part of your family tree." 

"Yes you are Uncle Justin just like Mama is as well. For my official project I'm only going to be able to put what I find out 

about Mom and Dad but Mr. Hickenbottom is going to find out how I can do a Family Tree with all four branches for my own 

personal family tree." 

"That sound great Gus, I'm sure that my Mom will have an extensive file for her side   
of the family. I can tell you a little about the Taylor side but unless Mom or   
Molly has more that is all I can do. I haven’t been a real part of the Taylor   
family since I came out." 

"Thanks Uncle Justin. Mom and Mama don't think that Dad will know much about his family though."   
"That is probably true Gus. He didn't have a happy childhood and didn't keep in contact with them after he moved out and went 

to college. I never met his father and met his mother only   
once. You will just have to ask and use what he knows." 

"It won't hurt him if I ask?" 

"No just don't press him for more than he knows." 

"OK Uncle Justin. Mama let me make Reubens last Monday, what are you going to teach me to make this   
weekend?" 

"Well tonight we have plans to eat out and go to a movie, what do you   
want to learn how to make tomorrow?" 

"How about fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy." 

"OK Gus one chicken frying lesson coming up tomorrow afternoon. Think about what pictures you want made from this mural and 

let me know when you decide." 

"You're sure you don't mind covering it up?" 

"I'm sure Gussy, I mean Gus." 

Gus didn't have time to ask his Dad anything about the family tree since Brian   
barely made it home before they left for the restaurant. After dinner the three   
went to a movie and when they got home it was time for Gus to get ready for bed.   
Saturday morning Gus was helping his Dad with the yard work when he remembered   
his project. 

"Dad I have a project for Social Studies that I need your help with." 

"What happened to Daddy?" 

"Dad I'm too old to call you Daddy anymore." 

"Gus you will never be too old to call me Daddy. Or is it I'll never be too   
old to hear you call me Daddy. What is the project?" 

"Oh we're doing a cultural family tree. So I need as much about your family that you know, then I'll use the school computers 

to find out as much more as I can." 

"Well Gus I don't know much. My Dad, Jack, died before you turned one, my Mom was named Joan and I have a sister Claire who 

has two sons. I don't remember any grandparents and I   
vaguely remember an aunt. Sorry I can't be any more help than that." 

"That's OK Dad I'll use what I can and the computers will probably be able to find more.   
Where were your parents buried? There would be some dates on the stones." 

"I don't remember which cemetery Gus and I just didn't care enough about my family   
to try to remember something like that. I'm sorry Gus." 

"That's OK Dad, don't worry about it. We need to finish the yard work before the game starts." 

"You and watching football games." 

"I like football Daddy especially Penn State." 

Sunday afternoon Gus was happy to see his Grandma Jenn drive up to the house. 

"Hi Grandma, did you come for supper?" 

"No Gussy but Justin called me about your project and I brought a disc with Justin's family tree information. It has more on 

the Birnie side than the Taylor side but then that is mainly because it was done by my sister's daughter. I'm sure that there 

is enough on the Taylor side   
that you will be able to find more on the net. I also printed up a copy for you   
to look at. I can stay for supper if it's all right with your Dads and we can   
go over the printout and I can add anything cultural that I know to the basics   
already on it." 

"You know that you are always welcome to eat here Grandma and it   
will be fun to work on the printout with you. How is Aunt Mollusk?" 

"She still is mad at Justin for letting you get into the habit of calling her that. But   
other than that she's enjoying nursing school." 

"Let's go tell Uncle Justin that you are staying for supper and that he needs to add more shrimp to the Jambalaya." 

"Has he taught you how to make Jambalaya yet?" 

"No he says that one will have to wait until I'm old enough to understand the romantic background   
that comes with making homemade Jambalaya. What is so funny Grandma?" 

"I just thought of the first time Justin made Jambalaya by himself. You will have to get   
him to tell you that story when he teaches you to make Jambalaya." 

After supper Gus, his Uncle Justin and Grandma Jenn spent over an hour adding   
what cultural references they knew to the printout of the Taylor/Birnie family   
tree. After his grandma left to go home Gus took the printout up to his room   
where he put it and the computer disc into a notebook that he planned to use for   
his family tree project. He took a piece of paper and wrote down what he knew   
about his Dad's family. Compared to the information he now had for his Uncle   
Justin it was pretty skimpy. Monday night Gus put the discs his Mama and Mom had gotten with the Taylor disc and the sheet of 

paper with the Kinney information. The more he looked at the   
printouts of his four families the smaller the Kinney side looked. Gus thought   
that maybe his Aunt Claire might know more but he had no idea how to contact her   
since his Dad hadn't told him her married name and he didn't want to ask his   
Dad. Since his grandparents were both dead he couldn't ask them. Without any   
birth and death dates, though he did know that his grandfather had died in 2000   
or 2001, it would also be hard to find much information on the net other than   
through sheer luck. Oh well Gus thought I'll just be able to do what I'm able   
to do and worrying about it won't help make it any better. While Gus' mothers had decided that he was now old enough to spend 

some time alone when they're at work they still tucked him at night. Gus had thought about telling them that he really was 

too old to be tucked in but he decided that he didn't want to hurt their feelings by making them realize how old he   
really was getting to be. So when his Mom came into his room that night she   
noticed his family tree information on the desk and asked him about the project. 

"Gus how is your project going?" 

"I've got the basic information for all four sides the rest of the year will be just adding as much cultural information as 

possible. I wish I had more from Dad's side though but with everyone being dead or unavailable it will be unlikely if I can 

find any more information even on   
the net." 

"As far as I know only Jack is dead Gus, I've never heard anything   
about Joanie's death." 

"Well the way Dad talked about her I though she was dead." 

"I think that is probably more how he thinks of her Gus but I could be   
wrong and just didn't hear about her death. Don't bother your Dad though Gus,   
use what he gave you and if that is all you can get then that is all you can   
get." 

"Sure Mom, the last thing I would do is cause Dad any pain." 

By Thursday afternoon Gus had decided that he would try to find his Grandmother   
Kinney on his own and ask her if she knew more about the Kinney family tree. So   
Thursday night Gus got the Pittsburgh area phonebook and started looking for   
Joan Kinneys. He didn't find any Joans but he did find two Jack Kinneys. One   
address was in a very new subdivision of a Pittsburgh suburb but the other was   
in the same neighborhood as Deb Novotny's house. Since his Dad and Mikey   
had been childhood friends Gus thought that it was likely that if his   
grandmother still lived in Pittsburgh it probably was at that address. Gus then   
had to decide how to contact her. He could call her or write a letter but it   
would be too easy for her to ignore those means of communication if she didn't   
want to talk to him. His other option was to show up on her doorstep but the   
address was far enough away from either of his homes that he couldn't ride his   
bike there and back in a reasonable length of time for him to be gone from home.   
He didn't think that any of his parents would approve of his getting in contact   
with his grandmother Kinney so he couldn't ask them for a ride. Mikey,   
Teddy or Aunty Em probably wouldn't keep his secret from his parents so they   
were out. Grandma Jenn and Deb probably wouldn't take him either so he was left   
with only one option. Gus needed a phone number before he could put the first   
part of his plan into operation. 

"Uncle Justin do you have Molly's number at school?" 

"I think so Gus, why do you want to call Molly?" 

"I haven't talked to her since she started school this year and she needs to hear from her "baby   
brother" once in a while don't you think." 

"You're not going to tell me are you?" 

"Uncle Justin what do you mean?" 

"Nothing Gus, by the way did you ever decide what part of the mural you want saved?" 

"Yes the parts where the family can be seen. You looking out from behind the easel, the part where I'm in it, the section 

where Mikey, Teddy, Aunty Em and Deb are looking at me, but   
most of all the part where Dad is petting that colt and looking very unhappy." 

"Then next week I'll start the ball rolling and in a few weeks we should have   
everything back to plain paint. What color do you prefer?" 

"Blue." 

"I'll get some paint chips and you can pick out the exact color then." 

"Thanks for everything Uncle Justin, you do know I love you don't you?" 

"That has never been in doubt Gus." 

 

Gus went back to his room and called Molly. 

"Hello." 

"Hi is Molly Taylor home?" 

"Hey Molly you have a phone call It sounds like an eligible bachelor." 

"Hi." 

"Hello Aunt Mollusk." 

"Gussy how many times have I told you not to call me that?" 

"About the same number of times I have told you not to call me Gussy." 

"What do I owe the pleasure of your call?" 

"I need a favor Molly. I need a ride somewhere and a promise that you won't tell anyone where we go." 

"Gus that is pretty heavy." 

"It's nothing bad, I don't want you to be my getaway driver for a bank heist." 

"Funny Gus. When and where, not to mention why?" 

"I'm doing a family tree project for school and what I have for my Dad's family is pretty   
thin. I recently figured out where Dad's mother lives and I would like to go   
meet her and see if she knows anymore about the family. She just lives too far   
away for me to get there on my bike." 

"Why don't you ask Justin or your Dad?" 

"I'm not too sure that they would approve, Dad isn't close to his family and Uncle Justin won't do anything that he thinks 

would hurt Dad's feelings. Can you drive me there and home again." 

"I know that it probably is a mistake but when have I ever turned my cute baby brother down." 

"The last time." 

"When do you want to go on this caper?" 

"Tomorrow would be nice but whenever works for you is fine though it pretty much has to be a Saturday or Sunday afternoon 

since that is the only time that I have a big block of free time." 

"I can take you tomorrow as long as we're done by 5." 

"I'm at my Dads this weekend I'll be at the park down the street from the house at 1 I'll see you then. Thanks Molly I'll owe 

you." 

"I'll add it to your tab Gussy, see you tomorrow." 

 

Gus had told his Dad that he planned on spending the afternoon with his friends   
since there wasn't a Penn State game on TV. Gus was waiting for Molly when she   
drove up exactly at 1PM. 

"Well Gus where exactly am I driving you?" 

"It's west of Liberty Ave. north of Tremont." 

"Gus are you sure you want to do this?" 

"Yes Molly, I have a grandmother I have never met and I have a reason to meet her so   
I'm going to do it." 

"How do you want to play this meeting Gus?" 

"I'll just ring the bell and ask her if she has a son named Brian, if she says yes then   
I'll tell her that he's my Dad and that I have some questions about the family   
I would like to ask her. Then I'll play it by ear." 

"Do you want me to wait in the car or go with you?" 

"Waiting in the car will probably be best." 

"Well Gus what is the exact address? We must be almost there since we crossed Liberty a   
while back." 

 

Before he knew it Gus was ringing the doorbell of what he hoped was his grandmother Kinney's house. 

"Hello, yes young man how may I help you?" 

"Excuse me Mrs. Kinney but do you have a son named Brian?" 

"Yes I do, why are you asking? No don't bother now that I look at you I know the answer to that. You would be Brian's son?" 

"Yes, how did you know?" 

"Well young man you are the spitting image of my son except for that blonde hair." 

"Oh yeah I forgot about that." 

"What can I do for you, a grandson that I didn't know was alive 5 minutes ago?" 

"Well I have this project for school that Dad wasn't able to help me with   
and when I found out that you were still alive I thought that you might be able   
to help me." 

"What kind of project young man? What is your name?" 

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Gus Peterson-Marcus and it's a family tree project." 

"Well Gus why don't you come into the house where we can be more comfortable and   
why don't you go invite your friend in as well." 

"Thank you Mrs. Kinney." 

Gus then walked down to car. "Molly she invited me in to talk and you too." 

"Gus I don't think so I'll just find a coffee shop and do some homework, I'll be back   
in an hour." 

"OK Molly, see you in an hour." 

"Mrs. Kinney, Molly is going to find a coffee shop and do some homework and come   
back for me in an hour, is that OK?" 

"Yes Gus." Gus then waved at Molly and she drove away. 

"Gus how about you call me grandmom instead of Mrs. Kinney that is what your cousins call me." 

"Sure grandmom. You are sure you don't mind my dropping in on you like this?" 

"Once I got past the surprise of having a grandson I didn't know existed letting you in the house is nothing. The last time I 

spoke to my son I found out that he was a homosexual how is it that he has a child?" 

"I'm a test tube baby grandmom. Lindsay Peterson is my birth mother." 

"I remember a Lindsay Peterson but she and Brian quit dating long before you could have been born, how old are you?" 

"I just turned 12." 

"From what I have been told and figured out they have been friends forever and when   
Mom and Mama decided that they wanted a child Dad was the only sperm donor that   
Mom would consider. Legally he signed his rights to me over to Mama but he has   
always been a part of my family just like Uncle Justin." 

"Justin, he's still with Justin, that surprises me." 

"Why would that surprise you?" 

"I've never heard that homosexuals were particularly faithful to each other and the Lord   
knows that Kinney men aren't faithful." 

"Dad and Uncle Justin are completely faithful to each other and always have been." 

"Who drove you here Gus?" 

"That was Molly, she's Uncle Justin's younger sister. Actually I think of her   
as more of a big sister than aunt and she treats me like her baby brother." 

"Gus where are my manners would you like a snack or drink of some kind?" 

"No thank you grandmom, it would spoil my dinner and Uncle Justin would wonder why." 

"They don't know you are here?" 

"No I kind of snuck here without telling any of them, that is why I got Molly to drive me. You live too far away from home 

for me to ride my bike here and get back home in the time I have free. Everybody kept telling me not to push Dad about his 

family and he just didn't know enough   
to help me with my project so I decided to ask you. But since I didn't want to   
hurt his feelings I couldn't tell him what I wanted to do and I couldn't tell   
Uncle Justin because he would tell Dad. Mama and Mom wouldn't have kept the   
secret either. Actually none of my family would have kept the secret except for   
Molly and if she was still living with Grandma Jenn she probably wouldn't be   
able to keep it secret from her. Luckily for me Molly lives in the dorms at her   
nursing school." 

"Brian's still so upset with me that asking him questions about the family would set him off."

"I don't know. Everyone just told me not to push him so I didn't take any chances. Why have the two of you been at odds?" 

"It's too complicated to go into today Gus. But I would like to see you again   
and we could talk about it then. What exactly do you need for your project?" 

"Well I'm making cultural family tree. It's the typical family tree with as   
much cultural information as possible as well." 

"Cultural information, what do you mean?" 

"Things like national origin, religion, geographic information, and   
basically anything else we can come up with. All Dad knows is that your name is   
Joan, his Dad was Jack, that he has a sister Claire who has two sons. He didn't   
know any birth or death dates so that would make it very hard to find things on   
the net too." 

"Well Gus our family Bible was one of the few things Jack got from   
his father, it has a lot of that kind of stuff written down but it isn't all in   
one place so it will take time to copy it all down. I can also get more   
information from my sister who has the O'Reilly family Bible." 

"Sounds great grandmom. But we will have to figure out a place to meet that I can get to on my   
bike since I can't expect Molly to drive me here again." 

"Where do you live Gus?" 

"I live with my mothers though I do spend most weekends with Dad and Uncle Justin. The two houses are only 6 blocks apart 

though and they're on the other side of Liberty Ave. south of Tremont." 

"There is a public Library branch about halfway there from here we could meet there." 

"I didn't think to ask will it be hard for you to get there?" 

"I drive Gus I'm not as old as you must think." 

"I learned a long time ago that it wasn't helpful to figure out how old adults are.   
You simply can't win." 

"You are a very wise young man Gus." 

"Thank you but with four parents raising me something had to rub off." 

"Well Gus your ride will be coming back soon, hard to believe that an hour has passed already. Can you meet me tomorrow at 

the Library, I'll have time tonight to write down what is in   
the Kinney Bible. I'll get the information from my sister next week and we can   
meet again next weekend. I want to get to know you Gus. I would like to mend my   
fences with my son before I die as well." 

"Sure grandmom when do you want to meet, it would have to be after dinner though." 

"I get out of church around 1 so I could be at the library around 1:30." 

"OK I'll be there tomorrow." 

Just then they could hear a car horn. 

"Molly must be back. Thank you grandmom for not slamming the door in my face and for all of the help you are going to give 

me." 

"Gus I slammed too many doors in my son's face all those years ago I won't make   
that mistake again. Give me a hug." 

"Good bye grandmom." 

Gus was ecstatic. His meeting with his grandmom had gone much better than he   
expected. But the best was her comment about wanting to mend fences with his   
Dad. Now all he had to do was figure out a way to get his Dad and grandmom in   
the same room without his Dad knowing about it. Gus knew his Dad well enough to   
know that it wouldn't be easy. He knew that it would work best if his Dad   
thought that he was in control of the situation instead of someone else.   
Therefore he couldn't just ask him to meet with grandmom he would have to set up   
a situation where they did meet but that his Dad thought was under his control.   
After a while the perfect answer occurred to Gus and he decided that he would   
start implementing it the very next day. After dinner on Sunday Gus got his plan started. 

 

"Dad I'm going to the Library this afternoon. I'll be back in time for supper."

"OK Gus see you then." 

Gus then got his backpack from his room and biked over to the Library branch. He   
waited outside for his grandmom who was little late. 

"Hi Gus, church ran long today. Have you been waiting long?" 

"Only about 10 minutes. Did you bring the Kinney information?" 

"Yes I brought the Bible too since some of the older   
inscriptions I couldn't read, I thought your younger eyes might be able to see   
what they say." 

Gus and his grandmom had spent the next several hours copying   
the information about the Kinney ancestors from the Bible onto the notebook   
paper he had brought from home. It was confusing since it didn't have everything   
neatly lined up in the typical family arrangement but that just made the   
experience more fun as the two pieced the information together. When they had   
finished they found that the actual Kinney line extended back 250 years to   
Scotland. Thomas Mackinney had moved from the Highlands to County Clare in   
Ireland where he had married a local girl and converted to Catholicism. But Gus   
found the information about his Dad and Grandparents interesting as well.   
His grandmother, Joan Marie O'Reilly, was born in January 1948 in Pittsburgh.   
His grandfather, Shawn Michael Kinney, was born in December 1935 in Harrisburg.   
They were married in Pittsburgh on April 1 1968. Their first child Claire was   
born September 15 1968. Brian Shawn Kinney was born May 14 1971. Gus was old   
enough to figure things out and old enough to know better than to say anything   
about what he figured out. 

 

"Grandmom I thought Dad's father was Jack Kinney?" 

"Well Gus that is the only name he went by and in fact the first time and only   
time I ever heard him called Shawn Michael was on our wedding day when the   
Priest called him that. He didn't like Shawn, thought it was too Irish, Shawn is   
the Irish equivalent of John and he got Jack from John. Almost no one knew his   
name was Shawn though, I'm sure your Dad never knew it." 

"I never knew that Dad had a middle name let alone Shawn." 

"I imagine he thought it was too Irish as well." 

"But you know Grandmom this also explains why Dad fell in love with Uncle   
Justin." 

"How so?" 

"Everyone always gives him grief since Uncle Justin's 12   
years younger than he is but you were 13 years younger than your husband. So it   
must run in the Kinney line to be attracted to younger beautiful people." 

"Why Gus you little scamp." 

"That is something else people are always calling me. But   
does that mean I should be going to Hospital nurseries looking for my future   
companion? Look at the time, I'm going to be late I have to get going. Same time   
next Sunday?" 

"I can give you a ride Gus so that you don't get in trouble." 

"No that isn't necessary besides I don't think we could get my bike in the trunk of   
your car. I won't get into trouble, after all I've been at the library even Dad   
won't get mad about that not that Dad gets mad at me." 

"OK, I'll be here next week with the O'Reilly information." 

"Thanks grandmom I'll see you then." 

 

With that Gus gathered up the papers and put them in his backpack. He then carried the Bible back to his grandmom's car got 

his bike and rode back to his Dad's place. 

"Gus you are late, do you have anything to say?" 

"Sorry Dad I lost track of the time. I found a very interesting book on Irish history." 

"Irish history?" 

"Well I do have to have cultural information for my project and the Kinney's are Irish   
aren't they?" 

"That is what I was told Sonnyboy. Go get cleaned up for supper we   
don't want to keep your Uncle Justin waiting." 

Gus had found that the computer that he was allowed to use at his Dads house had   
a family tree program. Luckily the files made by all genealogy programs could be   
used by all other genealogy programs and he had been able to integrate all of   
the files he had gotten so far from his family members. Since Mr. Hickenbottom   
hadn't told him how to connect his non-biological family to his biological he   
had kept the Marcus and Taylor information separate. Since the information he   
had gotten from his grandmom was only on paper he had to copy it into the   
program. Since there was quite a bit he didn't get it all done that Sunday night   
before he had to go to bed. He was taking his time since he didn't want to mess   
any of it up as he put it into the program.

"Gus it's time you get ready for bed." 

"All right Uncle Justin. I'll just finish up this section. Is it OK if I   
leave this stuff here until next Saturday instead of having to take it back home   
and then bring it back?" 

"Sure Gus just clean everything up and leave it neat. You know how your Dad feels about a messy house." 

"Thanks Uncle Justin I won't be long." 

So Gus finished what he was typing into the program, put all of the papers into a file folder which he had labeled FAMILY 

TREE PROJECT making sure   
that the top page in the pile was the one that had the information concerning   
his grandmother and grandfather. He placed the file folder next to the computer   
instead of putting into the desk drawer. Gus then went to his room and got ready   
for bed and was almost asleep when his Dad stopped in the doorway. 

"Well Gus did you have a good weekend, we hardly saw you this time." 

"Well Dad I'm growing up you can't expect that I'll stay in the house every minute can you?" 

"I can expect it Sonnyboy, but I know better. Just don't try to grow up too fast. You   
have been trying to grow up too fast as long as I've known you and I met you the   
day you were born." 

"Goodnight Dad." 

"Sleep tight Sonnyboy." 

 

Gus had found that when he was running a plan that time sped by faster than   
normal so before he knew it he was back at the Library meeting with his   
grandmom. 

"Gus my sister sent me a copy of the family tree file that her granddaughter made." 

"That certainly will make it easier to put it into the total file. It's hard work typing everything into the program." 

"My sister told me to get some information from you so that her granddaughter can add it to the   
family file." 

"What information?" 

"Well when you were born, when your Dad and Justin became a couple, anything about your mother." 

"Well grandmom I can let you have the information about me but everything else I would have to get permission to use and I'm 

not ready to ask them." 

"Sure Gus, I didn't think of that. Whatever you are comfortable with now and anything later is fine as well." 

"I was born around 1 AM September 8 2000. Uncle Justin was the one who picked my name." 

"He did?" 

"Well actually Mom and Mama had two names picked out, Abraham and Gus, and Dad asked Uncle Justin what he thought. Uncle 

Justin said that I wouldn't last a day at school as Abraham so they settled on Gus. Though on my birth certificate it 

actually states my name as Augustus Brian. Though no one has ever called me anything but Gus or Gussy. Well I have been 

called Augustus when I've been in trouble for something. And I don't like Gussy." 

"Then I suppose I had better not get in the habit of using that disliked name." 

"Well I wouldn't hate you if you did." 

"That's good since your father hates me enough for the both of you." 

"I doubt that he hates you." 

"I don't know Gus, I've come to realize over the last several years that I wasn't a very good mother to your Dad." 

"Do you really want to mend fences with Dad?" 

"Yes but don't risk your relationship with him over me." 

"Don't worry I know most of Dad's tricks and I know how to work him. Don't tell him or Uncle Justin that I said that. While I 

can't promise that things will work out between the two of you I do have a plan on at least getting him to meet with you 

again. I just don't know how long it   
will take." 

"Gus don't do anything silly. But yes I would love to be able to talk with him and try to make up for all of the bad things I 

did or let happen to him." 

"Well the time has flown again I better get back home. I'll see your here next Sunday OK?" 

"Sure honey, feel free to call me anytime you want as well." 

"Thanks grandmom, good bye."

Gus rode his bike as fast as possible so that he wouldn't be late for supper.   
After supper he went to the computer where he added the O'Reilly information to   
his overall file. He then had the program print out a family tree 4 generations   
back from himself. He then put the printout on top of his folder which he left   
beside the computer. He then went to bed.

 

Wednesday night Justin was cleaning when he noticed that Gus hadn't put his   
material away. "That boy knows better than to leave his schoolwork out on a   
desk. Why didn't he put it away or take it with him?" Justin asked himself. But   
as he picked up the papers he noticed that the Kinney side of the family tree   
was just a full as the Peterson side. "Brian doesn't know this much about his   
family, how did that boy find it out? He wouldn't make it up and I doubt he   
found it on the Internet with so little to go on. Which family member did he   
find in order to get this information. What is the little scamp up to this   
time.? Why am I talking to myself?" Taking the material with him Justin went   
looking for his lover who he found watching TV.

"Brian, Gus's up to something again." 

"What?" 

"I found his family tree information left out in the open."

"So?" "You know that Gus wouldn't leave something that important out in the open if he didn't want us to find it." 

"Well what did you find then?" 

"He has just as much about your side of the family as   
he does for Lindsay. He has you, your parents and their parents and their   
parents. But I thought your father was Jack Kinney." 

"He was." 

"According to this his name was Shawn Michael." 

"I never heard anything except Jack, so that is news to me. You don't think Gus just made stuff up do you?" 

"No I don't. I think he managed to contact someone in your family. I also think that since he   
left it out where he knew we would find it he wanted us to find it." 

"Why?" 

"So that we would ask him how he found it out and then you would have to do something about it." 

"Justin you are losing me." 

"Brian we all told Gus not to push you about your family. He has found someone in your family, probably your mother, but 

instead of just telling you, which would be pushing, he set it up so   
you would find out and he wouldn't be pushing." 

"Is he really that devious?"

If he thinks he's doing something for us then of course he's that devious. I brought him up well you know." 

"What is his goal then?" 

"To get you to talk to your mother, or possibly your sister." 

"I don't know if I'm ready for that Justin." 

"Obviously she has indicated to Gus that she wants to talk to you. At   
least consider the option. But we should play with Gus a little bit when he gets   
here Friday." 

"Justin you really are the devious one in the family." 

"As I've told you before how do you think I tamed the King of Liberty Avenue." 

"What should we do?" 

"I'll just put this file back where it should have been in   
the first place. Then he'll know that we found it but we won't mention it   
until he brings it up. Then we play it by ear and rotate him over the fire for a   
while. But Brian in the end you are going to have to meet with either your   
Mother or sister. Gus won't let you get out of that, he can play you almost as   
well as I can." 

"I suppose I should be upset with that comment Justin but it wouldn't do me any good since it's true." 

"Well we only use our powers for good Brian." 

"If Gus has found my mother and she wants to talk to me then I suppose I'll have to do so. But Justin I won't meet with her 

unless you are there as well." 

"You know you don't have to ask me Brian, I'm there for you no matter what." 

"Have I told you I love you Justin?" 

"Just about every day of my life since I met you under that lamp post. It's always nice to hear it in words though."

Saturday morning Gus hunted up his Dad and found him in the back yard. 

"Dad have you seen my family tree folder?" 

"No Gus I haven't. Isn't it where you left it? You did put it away properly didn't you?" 

"I thought I left it by the computer, but it isn't there." 

"Now Gus you know better than to leave something important   
sitting out on the desk. I'm sure Justin put it away where you should have put   
it. He has gone to the supermarket, when he gets back we can ask him or you   
could just go look where you should have put it in the first place." 

"OK Dad I'll go look in the desk drawer." 

"If it isn't there then let me know and we will ask Justin when he gets home if he saw it."

When Gus found the file in the drawer he knew full well what his Dads were up to. They think that they can play with my mind, 

well I'm not 6 years old anymore. I can play with their minds just   
as much but I don’t want to waste the time. I'll just take my medicine and get on with the plan.

"Justin, Gus knows that we know." 

"How do you know?" 

"I just do, he took it too easily and didn't sputter at all. Forget about messing with him and let's just get it over." 

"If that is what you want Brian." 

"Yes, if I'm going to meet with Mom I want to get it over with a soon as possible. What would be the best way to handle that 

Justin?" 

"I think a small dinner here at the house would probably work best. Do we want to have Mel and Linds here as well?" 

"We'll have to ask Gus."

 

"Gus." 

"Yes Uncle Justin." 

"We know that you are up to something and we figure that you know that we know so why don't we save some time and just get on 

with it." 

"Uncle Justin, what do you mean?" 

"We know that you found someone in your Dad's family that gave you a lot of family history. We know that you left the 

information out so that we could find it so that we would ask you about it. Is it your grandmother or aunt?" 

"Grandmom. She wants to mend fences with you Dad. I couldn’t just ask you since that would be pushing you about your family." 

"I told you so Brian." 

"Yes Justin we all know that you are the brains of this family. OK Gus I'll meet with my mother but I won’t promise you 

anymore than that." 

"Thanks Dad, she really wants to make things better between you before she dies." 

"What?" 

"It's just an expression Dad, I don't think she's dying right now." 

"Well we decided to have a family dinner here, at the house, with your grandmother, do you want to have your mothers as 

well?" 

"No I think just the four of us for the first time would be best. When do you want to have the   
dinner?" 

"Tonight would be best but tomorrow would work." 

"I'll go call and invite her." 

"OK Gus but don't expect too much." 

"I know Dad but at least there is a chance that you two can patch up your differences." 

"Brian just listen to what she has to say. Just start over with her. Gus likes   
her she must have mellowed some since you last spoke with her. How long has that   
been?" 

"10 years at least. But Justin there is a lot of bad history. She let my   
Dad do a lot to me before I was old and big enough to get away from him. Then   
she claimed that she protected me." 

"Well maybe she thought she did protect you and that was how she explained it to herself." 

"Justin I'll be good but I won't promise anything, even for Gus' sake." 

"He wouldn't want you to fake anything, and besides you'd never be able to get away with faking. You'll either be able to 

make up or you won't." 

"Will it be a problem for you to put a dinner together on such short notice?" 

"No problem we'll just have a steak fry. I'll bake some potatoes, boil some corn on the cob, and then grill T-bones at the 

last minute. We can eat outside since it's so nice out or in the dining room whatever you and Gus prefer." 

 

"Grandmom, this is Gus. Can you come to dinner tonight?" 

"Yes Gus I can do that. How did you manage this invitation?" 

"Well Dad and Uncle Justin figured out what I was up to and then I figured out that they had figured it out and to make a 

long story short they asked me what I wanted and I told them that you were interested in mending fences. So they asked me if 

I thought that you would come   
to a family dinner. Dad wouldn’t promise anything other than he'll talk to you." 

"What time should I be there?" 

"Is 5 too early? That would give everyone some time to talk before Uncle Justin and I have supper ready." 

"5 is fine, tell your Dad and Justin that I'll bring a chocolate chocolate chip cake. That used   
to be your Dad's favorite." 

"You don't have to bring anything but that sounds delicious. See you at 5. Love you grandmom." 

"Dad, Uncle Justin, Grandmom will be here around 5 and she'll bring dessert. It was her idea." 

"Chocolate chocolate chip cake right Gus?" 

"How did you know?"

"That was about the only dessert she ever made." 

"Dad you promised to try." 

"Don't worry Gus I'll be on my best behavior. Should we eat outside or inside?" 

"Outside, I always like to picnic and good things usually come after we eat outside." 

"Well then you better make sure that the back yard is presentable for a guest." 

"OK Uncle Justin." 

 

"Mikey this is Brian." 

"Brian why are you whispering?" 

"Am I, I didn't mean to. Mikey I just agreed to have a picnic with my mother." 

"What?" 

"Gus found her somehow and has struck up a relationship with her. He then maneuvered us into   
the position of having to meet with her. I just don't know how I'm going to   
handle it. It has been over 10 years since I've seen any of my family. You know   
better than anyone how meeting with them usually ends up. I guess I'm calling to   
see if you will be home if I need to see you later tonight." 

"Brian if anything happens you have Justin there to take care of you. You don't need me." 

"Michael, Justin has never seen me fall apart and I'm not sure he could handle it." 

"First of all you aren't going to fall apart, your mother never bothered you that much.   
Even if you do Justin'll take care of you. Hell Gus'll take care of you. But   
I'll be over tomorrow to see how this plays out." 

"Are you sure Mikey?" 

"Justin's just as strong as I ever was and nothing you could do would harm the   
love he has for you. Just talk to your mother and try not to let the past hurt   
you so much. It's gone and nothing can change it but you can change the future   
for your entire family. Gus must like her if he went to the trouble to get the   
two of you in the same room." 

"What do you mean Michael?" 

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Gus played you into meeting with your mother after 10 years. Don’t forget I’ve 

known him just as long as you and Justin have known him." 

"Thanks Mikey. I still love you even if it never was the love you wanted from me." 

"Brian I got over that a long time ago. I love you too and I always will. I’ll be over tomorrow afternoon for the dirt." 

"There won't be any dirt since I've promised to be on my best behavior." 

"There'll be dirt hopefully it will be the good kind. Bye Brian see you tomorrow, give my love to Justin and Gus." 

"Bye Mikey." 

 

Gus had made sure that the backyard was presentable. It hadn't taken much   
effort. Like every part of the Kinney-Taylor household it was always in perfect   
order. Which is why he had known that his plan of leaving his project out on the   
desk would work. He did pick up some twigs that had fallen out of his tree house   
tree since the last time he had mowed the lawn. He also rearranged the patio   
furniture and made sure that the grill had plenty of gas. 

While Gus was working in the yard Justin made sure that he had everything necessary for the dinner and that the silverware, 

plates, and glasses he planned on using were spotless. 

Brian just wandered around the house trying to find something to do. While he   
was wandering aimlessly around the house he found himself thinking. I'm 41 years   
old and I'm worried about what my mother is going to think about my life. When   
did I start worrying about what other people think of me. I suppose when I   
admitted that I cared, no loved, Justin with all of my heart. Justin and Gus   
both try to make everyone around them happy. Gus wants my mother to be happy.   
Gus wants me to be happy. I just hope that the two of us together can get past   
our past and make Gus happy.

 

Eventually the doorbell rang and Gus raced to the door to let his grandmom in. 

"Grandmom come in, that sure is a big cake. You know that there are only the 4   
of us?" 

"Yes sweetheart but this is the size my recipe makes and I was never a   
good enough cook to figure out how to reduce the recipe without ruining the   
taste. Don't worry I've never had one last long enough to go stale." 

"Dad and Uncle Justin are in the living room, let me take the cake and I'll take you   
there and then take it to the kitchen. We're planning on eating on the patio, I   
hope that is OK with you." 

"Sounds fine Gus, I always liked to picnic." 

"Me too." 

"Grandmom this is Uncle Justin." 

"Hello Justin, I'm sorry I was so rude to you the previous time we met." 

"No problem Mrs. Kinney that was a long time ago and very awkward for you as well." 

"Call me Joan for now Justin." 

"Sure Joan." 

"Well Brian I was certainly surprised when a blond version of you appeared at my door   
a few weeks ago. I'm so sorry that I let things get so out of hand that you   
weren't comfortable letting me know that I had another grandson." 

"I'm sorry about that Mom but I wasn't going to risk Gus getting hurt." 

"Was I really that bad?" 

"Yes, at least that's the way I remember it. Or the way I wanted to   
remember it. But in the years since we last talked I've grown up a lot, thanks   
to Justin, and I realize that maybe I blamed you for things you weren't   
responsible for or had no control over. But there is no doubt that we both are   
to blame for our problems getting along with each other." 

"Well Brian I hope that we're able to become closer than we ever were for Gus' sake. He's a remarkable young man, much more 

so than his cousins were at his age or now for that matter." 

"How are those boys? I haven't seen them or Claire either since I last saw you. I just   
didn’t want to admit that I had a family." 

"I know how you always felt about aging so I hope it won't bother you too much to know that you are a great uncle." 

"What?" 

"Yes your oldest nephew got his girl friend pregnant over a year   
ago. They actually got married and seem to be reasonably happy. So you have a   
grandniece, Jessica Marie." 

"How is Claire handling being a grandmother?" 

"No better than she handled being a wife and mother. Still cries buckets of tears at   
the slightest provocation." 

"Joan, Brian I had better go find Gus and start supper, how do you like your steak cooked Joan?" 

"Medium rare is fine Justin." 

"Well that makes both of them sneaking away to leave us alone." 

"What do you mean Brian?" 

"Well Gus normally would have been back here long ago, so he stayed   
away on purpose. Justin has everything but the steaks ready and he'll grill   
them after we go outside so he has left us alone as well. So I suppose we had better   
use the time they have given us." 

"Brian I'm truly sorry for all of the hurt I   
caused you. The Reverend Tom, before he was transferred to Philadelphia, was   
able to make me see how I had used my beliefs to hide from my actions and   
feelings. All I can say in my defense is that I did what I thought was right at the time.   
Obviously in hind sight I was terribly wrong. I should have left your father but   
that just wasn't something that was done. I shouldn't have taken to drinking to   
cover up the pain of the life I was leading. I should have been a much better   
mother to you and Claire. I shouldn't have blamed you for the pain that your   
father inflicted on the family. It was easier just to pretend that I protected   
you all of the time when I knew full well that I didn't. Your father didn't want   
to be a family man but my father made him marry me when I got pregnant with   
Claire. Jack never forgave me for that, even though he was responsible, then   
when I refused to abort you he really became frustrated. I always wondered why   
he just didn't abandon us since he knew that we could never be divorced. For   
whatever reasons he had he took most of his frustration out on you. I kidded   
myself that I was able to divert it to me but I was just being foolish. I should   
have been happy when you started spending so much time at the Novotny's but   
instead I worried what the neighbors would think. I should have been able to   
admit how bad things were when you went off to Penn State and we almost never   
saw you again. Then when you made an effort to get back into my life I had to throw it away by   
being intolerant about who you are. I had never admitted to myself that you were   
gay, but I knew deep down that you were. After all you were always good looking and you became very successful in the 

business world yet you never had a woman in your life. Then there were too many articles in the papers and stories on the 

television about you after Justin was bashed for me not to know for sure. But I ignored them and denied them to anyone who 

brought it up to me. If I had been any kind of real mother I should have been there to help you get through that horrible   
time in both of your lives. Instead I just ignored the idea that my son could be a queer in love with a boy. Then that day 

when I came to your loft and you were partially dressed and Justin came from your bedroom partially dressed I couldn't ignore 

the facts anymore. Of course I did the wrong thing and condemned you to hell because of what God made you to be. Can you ever 

forgive me for that Brian?" 

"I don't know but I hope so. I know that it will make both Justin and   
Gus very happy if we can have a reasonable relationship as son and mother." 

"Just the small time I have spent with Gus and the even smaller time with Justin   
really makes me regret that we have been so apart that you couldn't include me   
in your life. They're both obviously wonderful human beings that should have   
been in my life. I hope that they can be in my life as well as you. But Brian I   
will abide by whatever you decide." 

"Mom we will have to play it by ear. I can only promise to try to forget the past. We can have a new relationship starting 

from today. Justin and Gus'll both be very happy to have you in their lives. Justin's always trying to make the people around 

him happy. Gus's the spitting   
image of Justin in every way, except for looking like me, and he tries to make  
everyone around him happy as well. He got us together but in such a way that I   
didn't feel pressured. You are right he's a wonderful boy and I shouldn't have   
kept him out of your life. He needs to be around more family, especially straight family." 

"What do you mean by that Brian?" 

"Gus's sure that he'll be gay. What else would he think, he has a gay father, a gay mother and practically everyone in his 

personal life is gay. I don't care whether he's gay or straight   
just that he's happy. But I've never figured out how to make him believe that." 

"Just tell him." 

"Oh I've done that but I don't think it sunk in. He knows that he's   
going to be gay so that is what he believes. But Mom you do have to promise me   
that you won't say or do anything around Gus this is anti-gay. Let him get to   
know his family and see how he fits in." 

"Don't worry about that Brian, I learned my lesson long ago when I lost contact with my son because of my prejudices. The 

Reverend Tom was able to get through to me that I was using my   
beliefs to hide from my failures. That we all are what we're and that we have   
to live our lives based on who and what we are. That it certainly doesn't help   
when close minded people forbid us to be who we are. I'm sorry Brian that I   
behaved that way. I'm sure that if you had told me when you were younger I   
really would have hurt you even more than I did when you told me. I would have   
done everything in my power to cure you." 

"Well we're going to have to get past all of that. Justin and Gus aren't going to let us not get along so we just as well do 

it on our own." 

"Reverend Tom admitted the truth to me about his sexuality, that bravery on his part helped me to understand what he was 

telling me. He told me that as a mother I had to right to worry about your actions as a gay man, just like I can worry about 

Claire's actions as a straight woman, but not the right to worry that you were a gay man. After tonight I know that I don’t 

have to worry about your actions anymore either. I'll continue to pray for you as well as Gus and Justin. Don’t get that look 

Brian I pray for everyone I love." 

"Dad it's time you and grandmom come outside, Uncle Justin's almost ready to serve supper." 

"OK Gus you conniving little scamp we're coming." 

"Dad!" 

"Don't look so innocent Sonnyboy you know full well what you have been up to these last   
several weeks." 

"OK I admit it I had to get you back together. I had to get family tree information from someone and who better than a loving 

family member." 

With a big grin on his face Gus raced to the patio. Brian and Joan   
followed arm in arm at a much more sedate pace.

 

"Justin this meal was fantastic. How did you come up with corn on the cob this   
good at this time of the year?" 

"Well Joan, Gus and I froze 3 bushels last June. I'll get you several bags out of the freezer before you go home." 

"Justin there is only me, I'm sure one bag will last me quite a while." 

"Sure I forget how much Gussy eats, if we don't watch him he'll only eat corn. What is your   
record Gus?" 

"Uncle Justin don't give away all of my secrets. But I did eat 8 ears on the Fourth of July, of course that was spread out 

over the entire day." 

"Gus you're in for a treat, Mom's chocolate chocolate chip cake will be the   
perfect finish for this meal." 

"Thank you Brian." 

"Can we have ice cream too." 

"Sure Gus go get the vanilla out of the pantry freezer." 

"Thanks Dad." 

"Brian I've had a wonderful time. I'm so sorry that we had to waste so much   
time. Justin you have done wonders for my son, how can I ever thank you?" 

"Just stay a part of our family. Gus go get your grandmom a bag of corn." 

"Brian, next time we can eat at my house and I'll have Claire and her boys there to meet   
Gus and Justin. You all can meet your grandniece as well." 

"Grandniece, Brian you really are getting old." 

"Justin don't push it." 

"Grandmom here is your corn, all you have to do is take out the number of ears you want and reseal the bag. Uncle Justin 

always cooks at least 3 for me. Dad is a wimp, he'll only   
eat one." 

"Gus I would send you to your bed without supper except we've already eaten supper. What can I do?" 

"Just take it the way it was meant, Dad." 

"Don't I always?" 

"Dad I love you." 

"I know Sonnyboy, it's late you had better go get ready for bed. I'll see your grandmom out." 

"Goodnight grandmom, thanks for coming." 

"Goodnight Gus, I had a wonderful time. Thank you for mending the fences between Brian and me." 

"Goodnight Joan, I'll just clean up. I look forward to seeing you again."

Brian escorted his mother to her car. 

"Brian, I truly am sorry for all the pain I caused you. It's very clear to me that you and Justin truly love each other. You 

two and his mothers have raised an extraordinary son. But you have to promise me one thing." 

"What is that?" 

"When the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania comes to its senses and legalizes gay marriage you have to ask that wonderful young 

man to become yours. As far as I'm concerned the two of you're married in the eyes of God. So when it becomes possible; marry 

in the eyes of the state. Who   
would have thought that I would ever think such a thing. But true love is   
obvious when one doesn't go out of their way to not see it. I really regret that   
I haven't known Justin before this, since in just this one night he has proven   
that he's a better son-in-law than either of Claire's ex-husbands ever were."

"Mom you have taken my breath away. I'll consider what you ask but I can't   
promise anything. Justin and I don't need a piece of paper from Pennsylvania to   
validate our relationship. I don't know what I would do without him. I certainly   
wouldn't be the man I'm now if he wasn't in my life. September 8, 2000 is the   
most important day of my life. It's the day both Justin and Gus entered it and   
every day since the two have made my life better. Even those days when I   
actively fought to keep them out of my life. I regret that I didn't try to mend   
the fences between us and that it took a twelve year old boy to get us back   
together. Let us know when you have the reunion set, we will be there. I'll   
try to get along with Claire." 

"Goodnight Son." 

"Goodnight Mom." 

 

Brian returned to the house where he found his lover in his son's room.

"OK Augustus Brian Peterson-Marcus you lucked out. Everything worked out perfectly. I would tell you not to try anymore plans 

but you have way too much Justin Taylor in you for that to ever happen." 

"Oh Dad I just did what I had to do to make everyone happy." 

"Just remember Sonnyboy that every plan doesn't turn out the way you want it to. Someday one of your plans will fail and you 

will have to deal with the problems that causes." 

"Brian we know that you're just as happy as we are that you and your mother are friendly again." 

"Justin we're never this friendly before, but yes it feels great to have a mother again. Have I told you lately that I love 

you?" 

"You tell me every day, one way or the other. I love you too Brian Shawn Kinney." 

"Gus you have to edit that family tree before anyone else sees it." 

"Why Dad?" 

"Because I don't want anyone else knowing that I'm B. S. Kinney."


	5. A Wizarding Letter part 1

  
Author's notes:

More than a year ago I was watching a Harry/Draco video which like all of the others was clips taken from the four movies (at the time) arranged to implicate something going on between the blond and brunet from the Harry Potter universe. Then there was blurry sex scene and I thought: I don’t remember that from any of the movies. (vbg) When the next sex scene came up I paid more attention and it was obvious that it was a scene between Brian and Justin from QAF. So that got me to thinking about a cross over fic using Brian, Justin, Harry, and Draco. It occurred to me that I had the perfect place for such a fic in my Gus universe. I had a time when Brian and Justin were in Ireland and wouldn’t it be convenient if Harry and Draco were in Ireland at the same time. The next step was to think of an actual story, which I came up with but the problem was that it had very little Brian and Justin. Eventually I figured out a way to jiggle the idea to make it at least passable as a Brian/Justin cross over fic even if it’s heavily weighed to the Harry/Draco universe.

I started before Deathly Hallows was published but I had decided even before then that were things in Half Blood Prince that I didn’t want to deal with (mainly the Horcruxes) so the Harry Potter part of this fic splits from canon after The Order of the Phoenix. The Gus universe broke with QAF canon after season 2.

If you don’t have at least some knowledge of the Potter Universe then this won’t make much sense and if you haven’t read any of my Gus Chronicles then it won’t make a lot of sense either.

This chapter is too long so it will be broken into 3 parts  This 1 of 3.

There is a short epilogue at the end of the chapter.

It’s best to think of anything written in italics as handwritten in Gryffindor red and anything in bold as handwritten in Slytherin green.

 

 

 

QAF belongs to Cowlip and Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and I make no profit from this fic.

* * *

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

 

 

Kinney-Taylor House

7600 Rivendell Road

Pittsburg Pennsylvania

United States of America

10 PM

Friday Oct 4, 2013

After a long day at work, taking a two week vacation to Ireland in September had put them very far behind on what they needed to accomplish before the holiday season started, Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor had just pulled into the driveway of their home. Justin, as always when he was the passenger, was checking out the property as Brian drove up the driveway towards the garage. The fact that it was a long driveway allowed him the time to actually see the property.

“Justin why do you always check out the yard, there’s never anything wrong with it? Wait, I‘ll take that back, one of your trellises was blown over once.” 

“I really don’t know why I do it Brian but that may have been true in the past but not tonight. A blown over trellis is just a part of gardening not a problem.” Justin looked at Brian with a twinkle in his eyes and a smirk on his lips both made visible by the yard light.

Brian couldn’t help himself and returned the smirk knowing what that particular smirk implied about what would happen once they got into the house and possibly before they actually got through the door.

“Well Sunshine what’s wrong with our front yard? Did Gus leave his bike lying on the ground? Is Sonnyboy spending the night?

“Nothing’s wrong Brian, Gus is too much like you to leave something out of it‘s proper place and he‘s not spending the night with us, but why would a large white owl be sitting on the umbrella over the sandbox? Brian you know that Gus hasn’t played in that sandbox for at least 5 years and neither have we, why haven’t you removed it? The neighbors must’ve thought we were complete idiots, two grown men sitting in a sandbox playing with toy trucks. Though I have to admit I enjoyed the view of you pushing a fire truck dressed only in one of your skimpy swim suits, which as I remember didn‘t stay on your luscious body once we went inside and barely covered your package when we were outside. As I remember I got a slight sunburn that afternoon and the next day the umbrella in question appeared over the sandbox. It‘s a pain mowing around that sandbox. The wooden frame needs to be repainted before winter too. We probably need to add a couple of bags of sand as well.”

“Justin you don’t have to mow the yard, hire some kid from the neighborhood to do the mowing or let Gus cut the grass every week next summer he‘s old enough to do that plus you know how happy he gets when we ask him to help us out. As for the umbrella’s appearing I have to watch out for my twink. 

You know as well as I do that the sandbox isn’t for Gus; it never was for Gus. That sandbox is a reminder of our past and it will be there as long as we own this house. If we ever move again that sandbox will go with us; even if we move to another apartment. 

That was something I never got to do when I was a boy, playing trucks. I remember liking the way you removed that skimpy swim suit. I always like it when you remove my clothes with your teeth not that I mind you removing my clothes with your hands. I have no idea why an owl is sitting on the umbrella. It’ll be gone by the time we park the car and can get back out here. 

Justin don’t jump out of a moving car! Justin Taylor stay away from that owl!” Brian yelled at the moving back of his lover.

Brian stopped the car and followed Justin to the sandbox, after closing the passenger door; muttering to himself about headstrong twinks and whether they were worth the bother; knowing that this twink was worth any bother he caused.

“Sunshine you know better than to get out of the car before I stop it. Justin are you listening to me? The honeymoon is barely over and you’re not paying attention to me.” Brian growled at his 30 year old partner that he still thought of as his twink, the wonderful man who would always be his twink no matter how old they got.

“Brian be quiet, you’ll scare it away. Not only is it sitting on the umbrella it has a package tied to its legs. I think that this owl proves that Draco and Harry really are what they told us and not just something we dreamed up while we were drunk on Irish whiskey. It was kind of neat how much better the Irish whiskey in Ireland tasted than the Irish whiskey here in Pittsburgh.”

“I thought that the glasses and the bottle of whiskey flying around our heads in that complicated aerial dance were pretty convincing evidence that those two are wizards. 

The fact that they talked us into thinking about having a four way without actually saying a word about it also proved they were wizards since that was the first time since we got back together that I’ve even considered having sex with anyone other than you. 

Mikey would faint if he heard me say that I’ve been monogamous for over 10 years. Are you sure you aren’t a wizard too? All of gay Pittsburgh would think that Brian Kinney would become monogamous only through witchcraft. 

Didn’t Harry say something about having a white owl that he used to send messages? I’m guessing that the package is a message from our English friends. 

I know that you were as disappointed as I was that they had to go home before we could go further than strip and look at each other. It was kind of surprising but Draco was even blonder than you are but not as well hung. Have I told you lately how attractive I find your package? It couldn‘t be more in proportion to your body than it is. Plus it‘s very pretty and tastes very good and it feels very good up my ass. Mikey would have a heart attack if heard that statement.”

“It was amazing that we actually went as far as we did with them, I’ve never really wanted to sleep with anyone else since Gus got us back together either but I can’t deny that I really wanted Harry and I know that Draco really appealed to you. Maybe it’s the fact that Harry is a brunet and Draco a blond is what appealed to us. I can’t deny that they both had nice packages under their trousers but nothing like the package you keep under your designer label pants. Thanks for the compliment but I think Draco was just as hung as I am and Harry was in our league too. It’s strange that while I remember all of us being naked I don’t remember any of us actually taking our clothes off. 

You’re right; Harry said something about a white owl. What did he call her? Helga? Hermione? Heloise?”

“Heloise? Who would name a magical owl Heloise? Hermione was one of his friends wasn’t she? I think the owl was Hedwig.”

“Hedwig, that’s right.”

Justin moved towards the owl and stretched his hand towards the twine holding the package to her legs.

“OK Hedwig let me take that package off of your legs. You must be really tired after flying all the way from Scotland.”

“Justin I really doubt that she flew all the way here. She must use some magical method of getting wherever she’s sent. Yes Draco had a nice looking package but I‘ll always prefer the Taylor package I open every day to any other package on the planet since it gets so hard while being so soft at the same time. Sunshine have you spelled me into to talking like a Romance hero?”

“Brian can you imagine what would happen to Mikey’s head if he heard you talking about an owl using magic to bring us a package?” Justin asked with a snicker as he untied the package from the owl’s leg.

“I imagine it would explode, what’s Mikey done this time to provoke you Sunshine?”

“This week it‘s just his mere existence and I know that I should just overlook him but it‘s so hard to do some times. He made some comment about me taking you to Ireland against your will. Like I could make you do anything against your will. Of course if he knew I topped you he’d claim that it was rape since as everyone in Pittsburgh knows his ‘bestest friend in the world’ rolls over for no man let alone ‘the twink that wouldn‘t go away.’ There’s a small envelope fastened to the package Brian.”

“Well bring everything into the house. We can read whatever they’ve sent us in comfort instead of out here using the yard light for illumination. Should we bring Hedwig into the house?”

“If she’ll come inside I think that would be best, we wouldn’t want the neighbors to see an owl sitting on the umbrella in the morning. Of course remembering what they‘ve seen over the years in this yard a white owl might not even be noticed.” Justin said and then looked at his partner with his patented ‘Sunshine Smile‘.

“As long as we’ve been together Justin that smile still gets to me. We‘ve only messed around in the back yard and your hedge hides that from the neighbors. I have to say that I really enjoy playing kissing tag with you.”

“Why do you think I keep practicing my smile in front of the mirror when you aren’t home? I always like seeing that bulge in your pants it usually causes. I planted that hedge for the privacy it affords since I always liked the idea of fooling around with you in the outdoors. I like the idea of fooling around with you anywhere Well first thing next spring we’ll have to play kissing tag again since I imagine playing it wearing winter coats wouldn‘t be as much fun as playing it naked.

Hedwig hooted at the two men which brought them back to the situation at hand.

“That has to be a first Brian, getting snickered at by an owl. OK Hedwig follow us into the house and we’ll read the message.”

Brian and Justin walked to the house hand in hand with Justin carrying the package in his free hand while Hedwig floated behind them, as only an owl can float. The three then entered the house. The men settled on the living room couch, both with pronounced bulges in their pants, and Hedwig perched on the hat rack in the corner of the room.

“Justin I know you bought that ugly hat rack for decorative purposes but I have to admit that it makes a very good owl perch.”

“Ugly, it’s been there for at least five years and you’ve never said that it’s ugly. Hell you‘ve never even acknowledged it‘s existence before tonight.”

Brian, being a wise man, silenced his lover with a kiss and a grope. Hedwig hooted again and went to sleep.

“Brian let me read the cover letter and then we can go to bed. It‘s a good thing we stopped and ate on the way home from the Agency so that we don‘t have to worry about eating before going to bed.”

“Just do it quickly Justin, I’m ready for some loving. I really don’t believe I said that but then there’s a magical owl sleeping on our ugly hat rack so what the hell. When have I ever let being hungry stand in the way of fucking your wonderful bubble butt? Read the note out loud and then we’re going to bed and I’m going to fuck you into the mattress since I‘ve got to get rid of this smile induced boner you gave me.”

“Sounds like a good plan to me Mr. Kinney. Just in case you haven‘t noticed I have a Kinney induced boner as well.” said through a ‘Sunshine Smile‘.

Justin leaned out of Brian’s arms just long enough to remove the envelope from the package. He then removed the note from the envelope. He leaned back into Brian’s welcoming embrace and began to read the note.

_“Dearest Brian and Justin, our Yank Muggle Friends._ __

I’m guessing that Hedwig’s delivery of this note and package was quite the surprise.

__

Unless you object Draco and I are planning on stopping by Pittsburgh on our way home from the seminar we’re giving at the High Plains School of Magical Learning. We’re not exactly sure where it is yet; somewhere in Nebraska or Kansas though. Of course Draco isn’t sure where Kansas or Nebraska are either since he‘s never figured out how to use a Muggle atlas. It doesn’t really matter since we’ll be using a portkey that they send us that will drop us on their doorstep on the appointed day and hour. We’ll just ask for directions on how to get to Pittsburgh from wherever the HP School happens to be located.

__

If you don’t want to send a reply to this letter just tell Hedwig to go home since there is no answer. Please give her a couple of days rest first. I’ve enclosed some owl treats in the package though she can eat anything off of your plate. She can eat anything you can cook but she won’t eat peas or Brussels sprouts; not that I can blame her. She’s a very old owl and has become very picky about what she eats, of course I‘m a not very old Wizard and I can‘t stand them either, Draco loves both though, especially covered in melted Cheddar. I offered to let a school owl help her with the package and she just gave me a look. She’s been giving me that look for over 20 years so I suppose I should be used to it. You should’ve seen the look she gave me when I first told her that I was falling for Draco. It translated as ‘you have to be kidding me you bloody git.’ Of course since then she’s had more than one clutch of owlets fathered by Draco’s owl. We’ve never had any trouble giving those owls away either even if they‘re odd looking.

__

If you have a reply just put it in an envelope with the following address printed on the outside.

_****_

Harry and Draco

_****_

Malfoy and Potter Rooms

_****_

Hogwarts School 

_****_ __

Read the address to Hedwig, tie the letter to her leg or let her hold it in her beak if it isn’t too large, then open a window or door.

__

Both Draco and I enjoyed our night with you and Brian in Ireland. I have to say the view was very enticing. I’m sorry that we had to leave before things could go any farther than they did but our boys needed us. Since you have a son as well you know how they can sometimes overreact to a problem and need their parents to be there right this minute instead of the next day when they were scheduled to come home. 

__

I had so much fun telling you two part of our history that I decided to write down some more and send it to you. I really haven’t been able to tell anyone in the Wizarding World our story,(even our closest friends aren’t really interested in the details of our life together) part of being a hero is that the public doesn’t want to know about your doubts or your everyday life events, so it’s cathartic to finally tell someone. It wouldn’t surprise me if many of the wizards in Britain think I’m still just the ‘Boy that Lived’ and that I only use my cock to piss with if they actually acknowledge that I even have a cock. There are still wizards who don’t mind my being gay but can’t imagine why I’m with Draco. I’ve continued to write in American English because I still think that our seminar at High Plains will go over better if we talk like Americans instead of toffs. Draco thinks I’m crazy but he’s going along with me. He always goes along with my ideas even if he complains the entire way. As happy as Draco and I are, and have been for years, I find it hard to believe how many years we wasted hating each other.(though I image you have an idea how wonderful the sex was once we finally admitted that we fancied each other and got the courage to do something about that little fact.)

__

I have to reemphasize that you must not tell anyone about the Wizarding World. I know Brian meant it when he said that no one would believe him if he talked about Draco and I being wizards but that’s only true in the Muggle World. There are too many in my world who are deathly afraid of Muggles finding out about us. They would send Obliviators to remove any memories of Draco and I or the Wizarding World you have and they wouldn’t worry too much about any other memories they might remove as collateral damage.

____

I hope you don’t think I’m taking advantage of our friendship by sending you such a long letter but even if you don’t read it I feel better for writing it. I hope that it is clear. Some is just a recounting of what happened and some are conversations I had with others or others told me about. It also isn’t really in a chronological order either since I kind of wrote about situations as I thought of them instead of the order in which they happened.

__

Thanks again and we’re looking forward to seeing you in person again.

__

Harry Potter 

__

PS: Draco thinks he’s so cute, (I can’t deny that he’s cute since you’ve seen him) you’ll know what I mean if you read the letter in the package. Of course Draco would deny that he’s cute, he would say he’s suave. [Cute or suave it doesn’t matter as long as he sleeps in my bed at night] (Though calling it a letter might be a bit disingenuous since most letters use much less parchment than I used for this message)”

__

“While that’s very interesting Sunshine I think it’s time we retire to the bedroom and give into our primal lusts. My manly shaft wishes to visit your luscious tunnel. Justin why am I talking like this? Do you think Harry put some spell on the letter to make me talk like this?”

“I don’t know about the spell but I find the way you’re talking tonight to be very arousing and my luscious tunnel is very interested in by being visited by your manly shaft. He must have put a spell on it Brian because even I don‘t talk like that.”

Brian and Justin both broke into raucous laughter, when they were finally able to stop they got up from the couch and proceeded to their bedroom where both manly shafts soon exploded with massive loads of opalescent cream deep inside of the other man‘s luscious tunnel. As always Brian fell asleep almost before Justin was able to remove himself from Brian’s body. 

Kinney-Taylor House

7600 Rivendell Road

Pittsburg Pennsylvania

United States of America

10 AM

Saturday Oct 5, 2013

“Brian Kinney are you going to get up this morning? We have things to do today and not in this bed. If I‘m not mistaken Gus is downstairs.”

“Sunshine I’m not as young as I used to be and I had a very exhausting night. You might remember something about that since you were there. You‘re sure there‘s nothing we have to do in this bed this morning? If I‘m not mistaken there are always things we can do in this bed.”

“Brian you know as well as I do that you slept like a baby after I fucked you. You always sleep like a baby after my manly shaft massages your prostrate. You‘d have thought that spell would‘ve worn off by now Brian of course we don’t know how long such a spell would last do we? As much as I‘d like to do something in the bed this morning we can‘t since we have a guest downstairs.”

“Of course I sleep like a baby after you fuck me, you wear me out. It took me a lot of years to be able to admit that fact but you have worn me out from the first night we met. It’s a good thing I passed out that night since I probably would’ve rolled over and let you fuck me and I don’t know if my ego could’ve handled that back then. What do you mean Gus is here? Do you think he’s noticed Hedwig?”

“Of course he’s noticed Hedwig, he’s a very bright boy and even if he wasn’t I’m sure he would’ve noticed a large white owl perched in our living room. So get up, go wash yourself, get dressed and we’ll have breakfast with our son. Then we’ll explain the owl. I just hope I put that note back in the envelope and didn’t just leave it lying out on the coffee table. Gus wouldn‘t open a letter addressed to us but he would read one lying out on the coffee table.”

“OK I’m getting up but Justin I’m not eating whatever fattening breakfast you and Gus will try to get me to eat. Just toast, coffee, and juice will do me.”

“You know Brian one of these days I’m going to hold you to that statement and not let you eat off of my plate.”

“Sunshine you wound me. Besides you’ve threatened me with that before and you always let me eat off of your plate because you love me and for some unknowable reason you want to get me fat. Though I have to admit that you make the best hash browns I‘ve ever eaten including Deb‘s version.”

Justin just stared at his partner with his patented ‘Sunshine Smile‘.

“Enough chit chat get up, get clean, get dressed and get your scrawny self to the kitchen.”

Brian smirked at his lover, pulled him into a kiss and then got up from the bed and moved into the bathroom. He waggled his rear as he walked.

Justin watched as his naked partner disappeared into the bathroom, his body responding automatically to the waggling rear, and then he left for the kitchen.

Seated on a kitchen stool was Brian and Justin’s, 13 years old, son, Gus Peterson-Marcus.

“Good morning Uncle Justin, it’s about time you and Dad got out of bed.”

“Why’re you here this early you little scamp?”

“Early, 10 in the morning isn’t early Uncle Justin. I don’t know, maybe I’m here to help you get the yard ready for winter like we’ve been planning for weeks.”

The two younger men hadn’t noticed Brian enter the kitchen.

“Now Sonnyboy don’t get snippy with Justin this early in the day, we had a long night.”

“Sorry Dad, sorry Uncle Justin. Do you guys know you have an owl roosting in the living room?”

Gus gave his fathers a ‘Sunshine Smile‘.

“Of course we know that there’s an owl roosting on that ugly hat rack.”

“Brian I’ve never known you to take a 5 second shower, couldn‘t wait for the fattening breakfast we‘re going to force you to eat? Exactly how long have you been waiting for us to wake up this morning Gus?”

“I’ve been here long enough to get everything ready to make breakfast and to have read the note on the coffee table. Are they really wizards? Why didn’t you tell me you met two wizards in Ireland? You wouldn’t take me and you don’t tell me the best thing that happened to you on that trip. Dad you really should‘ve taken a longer shower, you stink.”

“Gus you’re 13 why’re you acting like you’re five, you didn’t act like you were five when you were five so don’t do it now. You know why we didn’t take you and you’re proving we were right. Just for the record there wasn‘t any hot water, Justin you‘ll have to call the plumber again on Monday, we‘ve paid him too much to not have hot water when I want it.”

“Dad! I‘m not acting like I‘m five I‘m acting my age.”

“I think it might be better to find another plumber, obviously this one doesn’t know what he’s doing. Don’t berate the boy Brian, his questions are legitimate. Yes Gus we met two wizards in Ireland. Who knew that there really are wizards living all over the world? From what Harry and Draco said most live in Western Europe, though there are some in every country of the world except North Korea. I guess no one willingly lives in North Korea. Gus you might be acting your age but we‘re used to you acting much older than your age and it takes us by surprise when you don‘t act older.”

“Are they really going to come to Pittsburgh? It’ll be so neat to meet a wizard. You will let me meet them won’t you Dad?”

“Like there’s any way we could keep you from meeting them. But Gus you read the note, I should’ve known better than to leave it sitting out, you have to keep it a secret. You can‘t tell anyone, and I mean your mothers too, about Draco, Harry and the Wizarding World.”

“No problem Uncle Justin, I can keep a secret better than anyone I know and that includes the two of you.”

What are you talking about Sonnyboy? Don’t answer I really don’t want to know.”

“Oh Dad don’t be that way, you know it was meant in love. Let’s get breakfast cooked and eaten and then we can go read the main letter. Uncle Justin why won’t you let me actually cook by myself since you know I can? Wouldn‘t it have been better to come into the kitchen with breakfast already cooked instead of having to wait?”

“It’s simple Gus, if I let you cook without me being here to watch you and you got hurt then your mothers would castrate me. But I’m in a mellow mood this morning I’ll let you cook everything that you’ve gotten ready. But just be careful and don’t burn or cut any part of your body since I’m very partial to the part of my body your mothers would remove if you go home with a cut or burn.”

“Uncle Justin they wouldn’t do that to you no matter how bad I got hurt. Of course Mama would do it to Dad because she would say it was his fault that you let me cook and I got hurt.”

“While that might have been true years ago Melanie doesn’t hate Brian that much anymore.”

“Good job Sonnyboy, now you can give Justin his chain back. Justin it’s hard to believe you fell for something that obvious, I guess I wasn’t the only one tired out last night.”

Brian and Justin smiled at the other and Gus could barely hold in his giggles. Gus then proceeded to cook the bacon, hash browns, scrambled eggs, and toast that he had lain out earlier for breakfast. Gus sneaked a couple of looks at his Dads and as usual they were kissing which caused a ‘Sunshine Smile’ to sprout on Gus‘ handsome face. As soon as the food was finished cooking the three started eating it. Gus was amazed at how much his Dad actually ate since he usually barely touched anything besides the eggs and juice.

“How did you two meet a couple of wizards in Ireland? How did you find out they were wizards? Why didn’t you tell me you met two wizards in Ireland?” Gus began quizzing his Dads as soon as they started eating.

“Justin I think our little boy is slightly interested in what happened on our trip to Ireland. Gus this bacon is cooked perfectly.”

“I think that’s a fair statement to make Brian. Gus these eggs are delicious, what did you add to the egg mix?”

“Just a little rosemary, onion flakes, and a bit of shredded Cheddar just before I took them out of the pan. Of course I’m interested in a story about wizards, especially real life wizards. Are you going to tell me how you met and how you found out they were wizards or not?”

“Don’t be so impatient Sonnyboy or we won’t tell you the story and we’ll send you home before we read Harry’s letter.”

“Dad you can’t pull my chain that easily. You might not tell me how you met the wizards in Ireland but you won’t send me home before you read the letter.” 

Gus then gave his father a ‘Sunshine Smile’ that he had learned years before from his Uncle Justin. Justin had once told Gus that when in doubt about how to deal with his father always give him a ‘Sunshine Smile’ first and see what happens before proceeding.

“Gus we met Harry and Draco in a Pub in the last town we stayed at while we were on vacation in Ireland. Your Grandmom had sent us out on our own because as she put it, ‘we needed to be ourselves at least one night of the trip and she needed to rest’. The only Pub in the town was packed and there were only two open seats in the place. The chairs happened to be at the table where these two young guys were sitting. We asked them if we could sit and they said yes.”

“Actually Brian, Harry said much more than yes if you recall.”

“Of course I recall Justin I’m not as old as you seem to think I am.”

“Just checking Brian, just checking to see if senility has set in yet. The conversation went something like this Gus:

‘Sure sit down, we don’t bite, unless you want us to.’

‘Harry behave.’

‘Draco I always behave and they’re Yanks so they can help us with our project.’

‘Harry they’re complete strangers they don’t want to be bothered by your project.’

Gus you have to imagine their words said with very distinct English accents, and that each of them had a slightly different accent.

By this time a waitress had gotten to the table and Brian ordered drinks for us and our tablemates.

“What project, of course we’ll help.’

‘Sunshine don’t volunteer us until after you know what the project involves. It could be virgin sacrifice, not that we have to worry about that.’

‘Brian you’re so funny.’

‘It’s simple Draco and I are teachers at a school in Scotland and we have to go to the States in month or so to explain our new teaching methods to a sister school and I just thought it would be easier if we were to talk like Yanks instead of how we usually do. So having two Yanks to practice with will just make it that much easier. But it would be a lot easier if we were to leave this loud Pub and go to our room in the Inn. We can stop on our way and buy some Guiness, or anything else you two would like.’

‘Now Harry don’t get pushy, they might think you‘re coming on to them. I still say if they can’t understand us at High Plains it’s their problem not ours but if you want to speak Yank then who am I to say no. Not that you ever listen when I say no.’

Gus I’m sure that you’ve picked up that Harry and Draco were a couple. Your Dad and I agreed to go to their room to talk.”

“I didn’t notice Sunshine pointing out that Harry is a brunet and Draco a blond, that had something to do with our agreeing to go to their room. Don‘t look so shocked Gus nothing happened but the possibility was part of the reason we agreed to go with them. Except for Harry and Draco being so much younger than me the two of them reminded us of ourselves.”

“They’re both about two and half years older than me and about 9 years younger than your Dad but they did look a lot like us, in the right light at least.”

“Gus I told you nothing happened and I’m not sure anything would’ve happened even if they hadn’t gotten an emergency call and had to leave for Scotland immediately, not that I actually remember hearing a phone ring.”

“I’m not surprised Dad, even perfect couples like you and Uncle Justin are tested once in a while. Uncle Justin why don’t you start the story again it’s pretty interesting. I still want to know why they gave away their secret.”

“Gus did I tell you that your toast was perfect too. I guess I’ll have to risk my bits and let you cook by yourself whenever you want to.”

“Thanks Uncle Justin but get on with the story, we still have to read the big letter and do some work on the yard. If I can tell Mom and Mama that we worked on the yard then they won‘t ask me what else we did.”

“OK, slave master Gus we‘ll follow your plan of action. Have I told you lately how bright you are? That Kinney smirk on your face answers that question.

Where was I?

We stopped and got some liquid refreshment on the way to the Inn which was the same one we were staying at with your Grandmom. Our rooms were on the top floor and Harry and Draco’s was on the second floor, at least the way we Yanks name the floors I don’t remember for sure how the Brits and Irish name them but I think it‘s different than our way.

It was amazing; as soon as we got into the room your Dad and Draco were barefoot; almost before the door had closed.

‘I’m sorry Justin but Draco takes his shoes off without even knowing that he’s doing it.’

‘As you can see Harry Brian’s the same way. The worst part is that I’ve lost count of how many pairs of shoes he has yet he’s barefoot anytime he’s not in the public eye.’

Of course I’ve watched your Dad take off his shoes and socks hundreds of times over the years but as far as I can remember Draco’s feet were suddenly bare without him actually taking his shoes off, at the time I just figured that the one drink I’d had at the Pub was stronger than I thought.’

The funny part Gus was that the two of them had no idea what we were talking about.”

“As you both know I like shopping and I like the feel of bare feet. I suppose Draco is the same way.”

“Anyway we got comfortable, your Dad and I on the sofa and our hosts on the bed, it wasn’t a very big room. We told each other our particulars that we were from Pittsburgh and ran our family advertising business. They told us that they were teaching at their Alma Mater in Scotland.

‘If you don’t mind me asking, if your school is in Scotland and you’re both English why’re you in Ireland tonight?’

‘No problem Justin we’re honoring our war dead. Every year, as close as possible to the anniversary of the end of the war, we and as many others that can, go to the hometowns of one of the fallen and honor their memory. This year only Draco and I could get away and we’re in Ireland to honor the memory of my housemate, Seamus Finnegan. Seamus was killed in a meaningless raid only a few months before the final battle that ended the war.’

‘Harry watch yourself they’re Muggles.’

‘What can it hurt Draco we can always obliviate them afterwards and I want to tell at least part of our story to someone who‘ll listen.’

As you can imagine Gus that little conversation was interesting. I suppose I should continue with the story.

‘Justin did you understand any of that?’

‘No Brian I didn’t, Muggles and obliviate are words that I don’t understand. I also don’t remember any recent war the Brits were in that ended in September.’

‘Do you think we might ask our English friends what they’re talking about, or should we just keep drinking this fine Irish whiskey?’

‘Harry are you really drunk enough to give away our biggest secret?’

‘Draco I’m middling drunk and very horny and you know that’s not a good mixture but we can tell them anything we want and just obliviate tonight from their memories. I need to do this Draco. I also find Justin very sexy and I know you’re attracted to Brian.’

‘Justin do you get the feeling that our English friends have forgotten we’re in this room with them?’

‘Yes Brian I do and I still don’t know what Muggles and obliviate mean.’

‘Justin, Brian, I’m sorry we’re being very rude. But you have to understand that Draco and I are breaking one of the greatest rules of our world and you have to promise that you won’t tell anyone what we’re going to tell you tonight.’

‘That statement sounds very suspicious Sunshine; don’t you think? Tell us your secret Harry and then we’ll tell you whether we can keep it secret. I’m very good with secrets, I didn’t tell Justin I loved him for years after we met and I knew it the first night.’

‘I’ve already said more than I should so I suppose I can tell you what I want to say and obliviate you if you can’t promise to keep our secret.’

‘There’s that word again Sunshine.’

‘Just tell us what you want to say Harry, don’t worry we’ll keep your secret, assuming of course that we actually remember what happens tonight tomorrow. This Irish whiskey goes down pretty smooth and I’m feeling the effect already.’

‘Muggles and obliviate are words from the Wizarding World. Draco and I are Wizards.’

‘Wait a minute Harry, what do you mean you’re wizards?’

‘Just what you think Justin, we can do magic.’

‘Brian did you hear what I just heard or am I so drunk I’m hearing things?’

“I heard it too Sunshine. Now Harry do you expect us to believe that you can do magic just because you say so?’

‘No Brian we don’t, you Muggles never believe what you should and always believe what you shouldn’t. Why don’t I give you a little proof that Harry and I can do magic?’

Now Gus you have to believe what I’m going to tell you happened next. Draco pulled a stick out of his clothes, waved it about and said some funny sounding words. Then the four glasses we had been drinking out of just flew up into the air and started flying around in a circle. Then Harry just waved his hand and the whiskey bottle moved up into the center of the circle and the glasses and the bottle started this intricate dance.

‘Harry you just can’t help yourself can you?’

‘You have to admit Draco that it’s more impressive this way.’

‘Sunshine do you see what I see?’

‘Yes Brian I do, I guess that answers the question; they’re wizards and can do magic. What have we gotten into this time?’

‘Calm down Justin we aren’t going to do anything to you, at least not magically; just because we’re wizards and you’re Muggles doesn’t mean we can’t still have some fun.’

‘Then get that whiskey back where we can drink it.’

‘Brian don’t be so abrupt. We’re guests and you should remember that fact.’

‘Sunshine only you would worry about being polite after finding out that our hosts can do magic.’

‘Brian, Justin don’t fight. Why don’t Draco and I tell you a little of our history and then we can see what happens.’

‘Sounds like a plan Harry. Brian and I would love to know more about you and the Wizarding World wouldn’t we Brian?’

‘Like I have any say in the matter Sunshine.’ 

“The first fact to know is that magic potential exists everywhere in the world; some places have a higher density and some a lower but there is some magic potential wherever you go. Some people simply have the ability to use that magic potential and some don’t. Muggles are people who can’t use magic no matter what they know; they can wave a wand and recite the proper words but nothing happens. Squibs are people born into Wizarding families but who can do nothing or, at the very most, very limited versions of very simple spells. Witches and Wizards can use magic if they’ve been properly trained. The abilities vary wildly; some can only do some types of magic past the basic level while others can do all types. Power is also very variable amongst Wizards and Witches. Lumos is a very simple spell that gives a light from the end of a wand. Some Wizards barely get enough light to see the ground, I can produce a light equivalent to a large electric torch while Harry could light up a soccer field if he really wanted to. 

Within the Wizarding community there are several groupings that some make out to be much more important than they really are. In fact the war Harry mentioned was fought because of these stupid divisions. We Wizards can do magic but we can be just as stupid or prejudiced as any Muggle.’

‘What are the groupings Draco, as Brian will tell you I’m very interested in useless trivia?’

‘Justin Taylor mind your manners. Twinks, why did I have to fall in love with a twink that never grows up?’

Brian didn’t think I heard that last part Gus, he’s never figured out how loud he whispers.”

“Why did I have to hook up with a bat eared twink that never grows up?”

“See what I mean Gus? Back to the story.”

‘The first group is the Muggle born; they’re witches and wizards who’re born into Muggle families. Next are the half bloods that have one Muggle parent and one magical parent. Both parents of full bloods are magical. Finally the group that tends to cause the most trouble, because of their belief that they’re better wizards, are the pure bloods. Pure bloods claim that none of their ancestors are Muggles.’

‘That’s not quite true Harry, most will admit to Muggle ancestors as long as they’re at least 10 generations in the past. I knew of a couple who’d been in love with each other since they were five and were engaged but when the father of the boy found out that the girl’s great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother was a half blood he cancelled the wedding because he wasn’t going to have his grandchild’s blood besmirched by inferior Muggle blood.’

‘It is beliefs like that caused the war.’

‘They had the last laugh though; they eloped and ran away to Bolivia. The last I heard they’d had more children than Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.’

‘What groups do you two fall into, if you don’t mind me asking?’

‘Draco’s a pure blood and I’m just a lowly full blood. If he weren’t dead, Draco’s father would’ve had a fit about the two of us being a couple, let alone having children. Not because we’re both men, Lucius had quite the reputation in Slytherin House when he was going to Hogwarts as we were told by one of his conquests when our relationship became public knowledge. He would’ve objected to us as a couple because I’m not a pure blood since I had Muggle grandparents, my mother was a Muggle born though the Potters were as pure blood as any Wizarding family in Britain.’

‘Which is just plain stupid since Harry is the most powerful Wizard in the world today and probably in history? You saw an example of it when he got the bottle and glasses to dance using wandless magic.’

‘It would’ve been Lucius’ loss if he’d refused to acknowledge Ron and Blaise since they’re wonderful boys, even if they were sorted into Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. I think your mother would’ve loved them even with their Evans blood.’

‘That’s probably true, I never even think about my father but I do miss my Mum. I’m sure she would’ve loved the idea of a Malfoy grandson sorted into Hufflepuff especially if my Father was alive to have to deal with the fact.’

‘Did you notice some more nonsense words Justin?’

‘I noticed some unknown words not nonsense words Brian.’

‘Justin you always have to smooth the waters don’t you?’

‘Yes Brian I do even when the roiled waters can’t hex us into the unknown.’

‘I guess I forgot about that little fact didn’t I Sunshine.’

‘Say what you want Brian we won’t hurt you, what unknown words?’

‘Let’s see, there was Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, what was the other one Justin?’

‘Wandless magic I believe, Brian.’

‘Those are simple enough to explain away. Hogwarts, the Wizarding school Draco and I went to and that we teach at now, was founded over a thousand years ago by the four most powerful witches and wizards of the time. The students of Hogwarts are sorted into four houses named after the founders. The houses are Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor. Draco was a Slytherin and is head of that house now; I was a Gryffindor and am head of that house. My son Ron was sorted into Ravenclaw on the first of this month, when the new term started, and Draco’s son Blaise was sorted into Hufflepuff. Everyone at the school was totally surprised because as long as any Malfoy, boy or girl, has gone to Hogwarts they’ve always been in Slytherin. According to the records only one Potter in history wasn’t a Gryffindor and she was a Slytherin who married a Bear from The High Plains School of Magical Learning, located somewhere in the States, and then migrated to the new world and was never heard from again.’

‘Wandless magic is simply what it sounds like, very few wizards can do magic without using their wand and most of them can only do very simple spells without their wand. Harry can do pretty much anything he wants without his wand or spoken words.’

‘I am in the room Draco. Yes I can do pretty much anything I want with or without my wand, it’s funny but I can do more without my wand than with it, but the problem is that I don’t know how I do it so I can’t teach it. Now that the basics are out of the way are there any specific questions you two have?’

‘You said something about honoring your war dead Harry.’

‘Wizards are like Muggles in that both groups always have someone who thinks he’s better than everyone else and should be in charge. In the Wizarding World they’re called Dark Lords and they usually promote the idea that Wizards are better than Muggles and that pure bloods are better than any other Wizard. Of course they always think that they’re the most powerful wizard in the world. What’s frustrating is that so many Wizards believe their nonsense and follow them. Since they’re convinced that they’re better than any other Wizard let alone Muggles they have no problems with killing anyone who gets in their path to power. The latest Dark Lord was Voldemort who was probably one of the worst in history. He and his Death Eaters killed thousands of Wizards and Muggles over the almost thirty years he was trying to conquer the Wizarding World of Britain. If he‘d been successful with that goal he would‘ve taken on the rest of the Wizarding World.’

‘Excuse the interruption Harry but I certainly don’t remember anything about thousands of deaths.’

‘No problem Justin but the killing was spread out over more than two decades so there weren’t that many deaths in a given year but one of the strengths of the Death Eaters is that they know that the Ministry has to cover up whatever messes they make.’

‘Another interruption if you don’t mind?’

‘Of course I don’t mind Brian. I have to admit that you sticking your tongue into your cheek is oddly attractive.’

‘What’s the Ministry and why do they have to cover up messes? You’re not the first guy to tell me that Harry but you should see what Justin can do with his tongue.’

‘Brian Kinney!’

‘The Ministry is the governing body of Wizards in Britain and Ireland. There’s a similar group in every part of the world with a significant population of wizards, which is mostly Western Europe. In areas with a small Wizarding population they either align with a neighboring Ministry or simply go without. For example the Wizards of Holland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Austria are affiliated with the German Ministry while the Belgians, Swiss, and Andorrans look to the French Ministry. The Ukrainians answer to no Ministry, of course at the last census there were only forty Wizarding folk in The Ukraine. The Ministries have to cover up messes so that the Muggles don’t discover us. Most Wizards are very paranoid about the Muggles finding out about our world and while in the past it probably wasn’t as much a danger as wizards thought it was; in today’s world it’s a real worry. While the magical wards around Hogwarts would prevent a Muggle bomb from actually hitting the castle I’m not so sure they would keep radiation out if the Muggles dropped an atomic bomb on the school. Anyway if a group of Death Eaters killed some Muggles in the market square of a village the Ministry had to make sure that the deaths were covered up. So time and effort was expended in making sure that the memories of any witnesses were adjusted and that any physical evidence was changed to fit some natural disaster. The Death Eaters don’t worry about this simply because they don’t think Muggles are important enough to worry about and they know that it‘s a boon to their efforts to have the Ministry waste time covering up after them. So most of the Muggles killed by the Death Eaters were reported in the Muggle press as victims of some normal event, a car crash or a fire or an explosion and so on.’

‘Harry you’re dragging this out way too long, we have other things to accomplish tonight.’

‘Draco Malfoy!’

“Look at that Justin, another blond who blushes scarlet.’

‘Brian Kinney!’

‘Just tell them the basics Harry, you can send the full history to them later.’

‘Ok Draco I’ll try to tell the short version, but it’s amazing how good it feels to finally tell our story. 

Voldemort started his reign of terror more than 10 years before either Draco or I were born and he was finally defeated when we were 18.’

‘My father became one of Voldemort’s biggest and most powerful supporters and he was recruited into the Death Eaters, you know Harry I always thought that was such a stupid name, a few months after he graduated from Hogwarts. If I remember right, when my Father was a seventh year my mother was a fifth year and Harry’s parents were first years. Of course my father convinced himself that he was using Voldemort for his own advancement. He might’ve seen the folly of that belief just before he died but I doubt it.

“So even before we were born our families were on opposite sides since my parents became staunch members of the Order of the Phoenix, which was a group formed to stop Voldemort and the Death Eaters, within days of their own graduation from Hogwarts. They caused enough trouble to the Death Eater movement that when Voldemort found out about a Prophecy that indicated who could kill him he interpreted it to mean me. I was between one and two, so of course I don’t remember any of what happened, when Voldemort used information given to him by a friend of my parents to come to their house to kill them. My mother died rather than give me up and somehow that caused his death spell to rebound from my head and to destroy his body though it turned out that it didn‘t kill his identity. As soon as the Order found out about my parent’s deaths Professor Dumbledore apparated to their house, found me, arranged to have me delivered to my mother’s sister. Aunt Petunia was, and is, a Muggle. She and her husband hated the idea of magic and raising the child of Wizards wasn’t something they wanted to do. Professor Dumbledore was convinced that my staying with my mother’s relatives would provide me with protection from the Death Eaters. I never really understood that myself Justin but I learned that Dumbledore usually knew what he was talking about. Somehow he convinced, or scared, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon into raising me but he neglected to make sure that they would do more than keep me alive. I didn’t know the truth about my parents and myself until I got my first Hogwarts letter on my eleventh birthday.’

‘Hogwarts letter?’

‘Every year, during the summer, before the fall term starts the magic of the school itself sends a letter to every potential student. The letter tells them that they can come to school and what supplies and books are needed for the school year. Every returning student gets a letter and so does every wizard or witch who turned 11, since September 1 of the previous year, in Great Britain or Ireland. Children of Hogwarts alumni living abroad also get a letter. Young Wizards and Witches from other countries can apply for admission too though very few do so. Somehow the magic of the school is able to identify every muggleborn witch or wizard even though no wizard, even the most powerful, can do it. The fall term always starts on September 1, if the first falls on a Friday or Saturday then classes don’t start until the next Monday otherwise classes start on the second.

Even though my Uncle did everything he could to prevent me from reading the Hogwarts letter eventually I did read it, after hundreds of copies were delivered to the house and everywhere my Uncle took us to avoid them, and I found out that my parents had been wizards and instead of dying in a car crash had been murdered by an evil wizard.

I learned that I would start school at Hogwarts and that Hagrid, my first friend in the Wizarding world, would take me shopping for the supplies I would need.’

‘Harry do you have to drag this out so long? We have more enjoyable things to do with our friends.’ Draco stated with a distinct leer at Brian.”

“What do you mean Uncle Justin?”

“Now Gus you knew before Justin started that there was a sexual part to this story. We all found each other attractive and there was a possibility that something would happen because of that attraction. Now if you can’t handle this fact of life then you’ll have to go home.”

“Dad!”

“Brian try to be nice. Gus we did expect something to happen with Draco and Harry but if you let me finish you’ll know how it actually ended.”

“I need to go to the bathroom Uncle Justin, I’ll be right back and we can finish.”

“Brian you’re being more open with Gus than I expected. Usually you get very tongue tied when anything even close to sexual comes up in conversation when he’s in the room.”

“Well Sunshine things are different this time.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it Justin, how long is Gus going to remember this discussion?”

“What is that supposed to mean? Gus is 13 he‘ll remember a discussion about wizards and magic for the rest of his life.”

“Sunshine I know you’re brighter than that.”

“Fuck Brian, you’re right, I didn’t think about that.”

“Gus won’t have time to worry himself about us almost having a sexual relationship with our English friends because in the near future they’ll be here to visit and they’ll make sure that none of us remember what happened in Ireland. It surprised me that they didn’t erase our memories that night in Ireland.”

“Me too but I think that they left in too much of a hurry to worry about it and you were convincing in your argument that no one would believe us so why would we tell anyone.”

“Justin if they hadn’t left would’ve anything happened?”

“I think there might’ve been some kissing but I think that any sex would’ve happened between the two couples. Harry is very attractive but not as attractive as the man I’m looking at right now.”

“Sunshine you do know how I feel about your don’t you?”

“Of course I do Brian, of course I do. Ready to hear the last of the tale Gus?”

“Yes Uncle Justin.”

‘As you both can tell my Draco has ulterior motives so I’ll wind this story up. Our year mate, and my house mate, Seamus was visiting his family here in Ireland and through no fault of his own found himself the focus of a Death Eater raid. Seamus, his mother, aunt, younger siblings and cousins were trapped in a beach cabin only a few miles from here. Seamus was the only one of the group with any real magical power. He managed to hold the Death Eaters off while his mother and aunt apparated all of the younger children to safety. Apparition is the process of going from one place to another more or less instantaneously. By the time they were able to send for help one of the Death Eaters got in a lucky hex and Seamus was captured. They killed him by cutting him into 14 body segments using a very disgusting Dark spell but at least he died very quickly. The Aurors, the police of the Ministry, arrived before the Death Eaters were able to take their wounded and Seamus’ remains away so we know that Seamus severely wounded two of them and we learned later that Voldemort killed the others involved in the raid for failing their mission. Voldemort never learned that killing his followers for the slightest failure would ensure that his forces would be smaller than they would’ve been otherwise. In hindsight it became obvious that he didn’t think he needed any help to win the war so he didn’t worry about lessening the numbers of his followers.

Seamus was awarded the Order of Merlin, 3rd Class, though he should’ve gotten 1st class but the Ministry tried to downplay the participation of Hogwarts students as much as possible.’

‘Don’t bother asking Justin, he’ll never tell you on his own. Harry was awarded that Order of Merlin 1st class and every other medal the Ministry could think of. But Harry is right about the Ministry and Hogwarts students, they tried to pretend that no Hogwarts student besides Harry did anything in the fight to defeat Voldemort even though the final battle was fought almost entirely with Hogwarts students. I think that if they could’ve gotten away with it they would’ve down played Harry’s efforts as well. Now that the history lesson is over we can get to other entertainments.’

“Gus don’t worry, nothing happened and I don’t think anything would’ve happened since Justin is the only man I need to be happy.”

“I know that Dad.”

“I think Justin will agree that being stripped by magic was a very interesting feeling.”

“Yes it was Brian. Just imagine Gus, we were lying on the sofa and then there was this rush of air and all four of us were naked. Harry had just waved his hand and our clothes took themselves off of our bodies.”

“The most interesting thing Gus was what happened to the clothes.”

“What was that Dad?”

“Well my clothes and Draco’s for that matter folded themselves up and made 2 very neat piles on the floor.”

“Uncle Justin’s, and I’ll guess Harry’s, just fell into a mess all over the floor.”

“Right on the first guess.”

“Can I get back to the story or do you two Kinney’s want to make fun of my messiness?”

“Tell the story Uncle Justin you know that we love you but you have to admit that you never put your clothes away when you take them off, you always just drop them wherever you happen to be then have to pick them up in the morning. I‘ve wondered over the years why you start taking your clothes off in the entry foyer though.” said with a ‘Sunshine Smile‘.

“Some day you little scamp you’ll have a significant other and I’ll be sure to remember some of your quirks to tell them.”

“We love you Sunshine, no matter how messy you are, tell the story.”

“Ok we were sitting there, naked, and just looking at each other. Harry was very attractive and so was Draco but Brian was by far the best looking man in the room. Harry suddenly jumped up and ran to the bathroom and Draco told us that Harry was a very shy man most of the time and that he’d finally realized what they were doing. But when Harry came back from the bathroom he told us that he and Draco had to return to their home because he’d gotten a call from their sons and the boys needed them to come home immediately. As funny as being stripped by magic felt being dressed by magic was just plain uncomfortable. It was a small room and I’m sure I didn’t hear a phone ring but we had been drinking so I put that down as the reason for not hearing the phone. Which was kind of silly since I’d come to believe that Harry and Draco could do magic so why I didn’t think that Harry heard from his sons by some magical means I don’t know. So we made our good byes and headed up to our room on the top floor of the inn. Harry and Draco put their luggage together, which since they used magic took no time at all. As soon as the door closed behind your Dad and me I heard two loud cracks, we had to wait for the elevator but Harry and Draco didn’t come out of the room so I‘m guessing that they apparated back to Scotland. 

I’m looking forward to seeing them and Gus you don’t have to worry, any chance of a sexual situation between them and us evaporated that night in Ireland.”

“I was never worried Uncle Justin, I know the type of men you and Dad are.”

“What does that mean Sonnyboy?”

“Nothing Brian, what are you going to be doing while Gus and I work in the yard?”

“I could do my nails but I think I’ll make lunch. You two eat even more than normal after you work on the yard and we do have this very large letter to read later this afternoon and I wouldn’t want the two most important men in my life to be hungry while they read about the Wizarding World.”

“Dad!”

“Brian!”


	6. A Wizarding Letter part 2

  
Author's notes:

More than a year ago I was watching a Harry/Draco video which like all of the others was clips taken from the four movies (at the time) arranged to implicate something going on between the blond and brunet from the Harry Potter universe. Then there was blurry sex scene and I thought: I don’t remember that from any of the movies. (vbg) When the next sex scene came up I paid more attention and it was obvious that it was a scene between Brian and Justin from QAF. So that got me to thinking about a cross over fic using Brian, Justin, Harry, and Draco. It occurred to me that I had the perfect place for such a fic in my Gus universe. I had a time when Brian and Justin were in Ireland and wouldn’t it be convenient if Harry and Draco were in Ireland at the same time. The next step was to think of an actual story, which I came up with but the problem was that it had very little Brian and Justin. Eventually I figured out a way to jiggle the idea to make it at least passable as a Brian/Justin cross over fic even if it’s heavily weighed to the Harry/Draco universe.

I started before Deathly Hallows was published but I had decided even before then that were things in Half Blood Prince that I didn’t want to deal with (mainly the Horcruxes) so the Harry Potter part of this fic splits from canon after The Order of the Phoenix. The Gus universe broke with QAF canon after season 2.

If you don’t have at least some knowledge of the Potter Universe then this won’t make much sense and if you haven’t read any of my Gus Chronicles then it won’t make a lot of sense either.

This chapter is too long so it will be broken into 3 parts. This is part 2 of 3.

There is a short epilogue at the end of the chapter.

It’s best to think of anything written in italics as handwritten in Gryffindor red and anything in bold as handwritten in Slytherin green.

 

 

 

QAF belongs to Cowlip and Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and I make no profit from this fic.

* * *

Kinney-Taylor House

7600 Rivendell Road

Pittsburg Pennsylvania

United States of America

3 PM

Saturday Oct 5, 2013

Gus and Justin finished prepping the yard and flower gardens for the winter and then entered the house through the garage. They had used some pink paint Gus found in the garage to paint the sandbox even though Gus had suggested just removing it and see if his Dad actually missed it.

“Why did you have a gallon of pink paint in the garage Uncle Justin?”

“I don’t remember Gus but I’m sure Emmett had something to do with it. You have to admit that it makes that silly sandbox much more obvious than it was before.”

“Maybe Dad will finally decide to get rid of it as soon as one of your neighbors makes a comment about his pink sandbox.”

“That was mean Gus.” said with a ‘sunshine smile‘.

“Well I am a Kinney Uncle Justin.” Said with a matching ‘sunshine smile‘.

“Gus what’s that wonderful smell?”

“I don’t know Uncle Justin, do you suppose Dad actually managed to cook something besides scrambled eggs?”

“I heard that Sonnyboy.”

“I didn’t mean anything Dad, what smells so good?” said with a Taylor grin.

“Good answer Sonnyboy, good answer. I can cook when I want to I just usally don’t want to. Did you two finish your yard work?”

“Well tell us what it is Brian. I’m guessing some kind of chicken soup. Yes we finished the yard work or we‘d still be outside in the yard”

“Got it in one Sunshine. It’s chicken and rice soup with smoked turkey chunks and mushrooms. I know you‘re hungry since only a famished Sunshine gets that snippy.”

“Interesting combination Brian, why did you come up with it? Snippy am I?”

“That’s what was in the refrigerator. Of course you‘re snippy that‘s one of the many things I love about you.”

“Let’s eat, what else did you make Dad?”

“Toasted Italian bread slices, with a light sprinkling of Romano cheese and granulated garlic, to eat with the soup and whipped Lime Jello for dessert.”

“That sounds great Dad.”

“Well it isn’t as good as one of Justin’s meals but it’ll hit the spot and get us through till supper. Reading massive parchment letters is hungry work.”

“OH SHIT Brian, I forgot.”

“What did you forget Sunshine?”

“I forgot to feed Hedwig. She’ll be starving by now.”

“Don’t worry Uncle Justin I gave her some bacon and bread this morning before you two got up. She really liked the raw bacon but she only ate about a half a piece of the bread.”

“Thanks for feeding her Gus; I wouldn’t want Harry to think I mistreated his owl.”

“Dad you don’t usually take this long to eat, don’t you remember we have to read Harry’s letter before I have to go home.”

“Now Sonnyboy I may be getting on in years but I remember everything, except for Justin’s birthday, for some reason I can never remember when it falls. Some years I think it’s in January but in others it seems like it falls in some later month, I can never figure that one out.”

“Dad you can’t pull my chain that easily, you never forget anyone’s birthday except yours. Here I’ll put the dishes in the sink and we can go to the living room to read the letter.”

“I think our little boy, who isn’t that little anymore, is in a hurry for some reason Brian.”

“I suppose Wizarding letters are the reason for that Sunshine. OK Gus we’ll quit teasing you, I never knew you could give such a good Kinney glare.”

“Dad! I‘ve been watching you and Mama glare at each other for years so I suppose I come by it naturally.”

“You have to admit you walked right into that one Brian.”

Gus, Brian, and Justin moved into the living room with Brian and Justin sittting on the couch and Gus flopping down on the floor on the far side of the coffee table from his Dads. Justin pulled the package from the coffee table into his lap and opened it.

“Well Justin start reading already.”

Justin opened the package and pulled a smaller bag out.

“This must be the owl treats Harry mentioned in his introductory letter. Gus why don‘t you give Hedwig some of these treats?”

“OK Uncle Justin.” 

Gus jumped up from the floor, took the bag of owl treats, opened it and offered several of the pellets to the white owl before he returned to his place on the floor.

“Get on with it Justin.”

“Dad you usually aren’t this impatient.”

“Well Sonnyboy there usually isn’t a magical owl and a letter from wizards in the house.” Brian then proved that he had learned from his lover as well as he flashed a ‘Sunshine Smile’ at his son.

Justin pulled another box out of the package, placing it on the coffee table, and then pulled the letter out of the package as well.

__

Justin I hope that you find this message enjoyable and I hope that you are reading it.

__

First there’s a bag of owl treats for Hedwig, while she can and will eat pretty much anything you care to give her and she should be allowed out at night to hunt she still needs to eat a couple of owl treats every day. They contain the magical vitamins and supplements that she needs to maintain her magical abilities.

__

The second package is a model quidditch game. Our sons insisted that I send it when they found out that you have a son as well. In its original version the game would actually play historical quidditch matches. Ron and Blaise tell me that is accomplished by putting a memory stick (well it’s a magical device that works the same as a memory stick) into the base unit and then the game plays the way it played in reality. The two of them get too much pleasure from telling me and Draco how outdated our moves were in the games we played when we were boys. Of course I had to demagic the game so it doesn’t work that way anymore. There are wires that you use to keep the players up in the air. There are directions so your boy should have no problem putting it together. If you look carefully at the players, coaches and spectators you might notice something. (How’s that for giving away the secret?)

__

“Ok Gus you can put it together, just try not to break any of the parts.”

“Uncle Justin when was the last time I broke one of my possessions putting it together?”

“Sorry Gus, I don’t know where that comment came from.”

Gus sat up at the coffee table and took the parts out of the box and started looking at the little people.

“Well Sonnyboy what do you see?”

“Well Dad I’m guessing that you and Uncle Justin are the coaches since the models with your faces can’t be attached to wires like the player models are but can be attached to the base of the model. I’ll bet that Draco and Harry are these two models.”

“Why do you guess that? You‘re right by the way.”

“They’re attached to the longest wires so that would put them higher into the sky and they are much more detailed than the other player models. These two are probably their sons since they have the same form as this one which is obviously me and all three fit into the spectator seats. How would they know what I look like?”

“Well Gus they’re wizards.”

“Yeah that makes sense.”

“Plus we showed them a picture or two of you.”

“I hope that they weren’t embarrassing pictures of me like the one where I’m in the bath tub.”

“Now Gus you’re a Kinney and there are no embarrassing pictures of Kinneys. You were three, naked when you‘re three isn‘t embarrassing. Besides your Kinney attributes were hidden by the soap bubbles.”

“How could’ve I forgotten that fact Dad?” said with a suppressed giggle.

“Go ahead and put the model together while I continue reading the letter. Now Gus don’t get upset if Harry includes anything sexual in his stories.”

“Uncle Justin I’m not that sensitive, I can hear about sex, even about you two, without falling apart.”

_I hope that your son has fun with the quidditch set; I know that our boys have enjoyed the one they have. I suppose the next question is how Draco and I have 2 sons since neither of us has ever been with a woman. I think I mentioned that fact when we were in Ireland but if I didn’t it’s too late to take it back now. But I suppose I should start at the beginning instead of at the end well actually we had the boys in the middle of the story._ __

Draco and I met when we were 11 and pretty much hated each other at first sight. Over the next five years we built on that hatred. Of course looking back we had a lot of other people pushing us to hate each other.

__

“This is very interesting.”

“You’ve barely started; what’s interesting Sunshine?”

“Harry didn’t write this way in his smaller letter.”

“What’s different?”

“I wonder why he’s left so much space between lines.”

“Is that all? Finish reading the letter Justin.”

“Well I thought it was interesting.”

“Justin you think how a dandelion looks in the rain is interesting. It’s the artist in you and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Could you two get any mushier? I think Uncle Justin‘s painting of a dandelion in a rainstorm is one of his best works.”

“I do too Sonnyboy, why do you think I thought of that example.’

_Towards the end of our fifth year at Hogwarts there was an incident at the Ministry of Magic building in London. When all was said and done Draco’s father was arrested and sent to Azkaban Prison. That fall when we returned to school Draco was a different boy in many ways. I suppose having a father you adored murdered in prison will affect anyone._

“I know why Harry left so much space.”

“Well why did he leave so much space?”

“Brian! With an attitude like that why should I tell you anything?”

“Because I love you. Why did Harry leave so much room between his lines of writing?”

“So Draco could add his comments about Harry’s narrative.”

“Obviously they know each other as well as we know each other.”

“Having problems with that model Gus?”

“No Uncle Justin, I just wish we could have the magical version. That would be cool.”

“Back to the letter Sunshine or we’ll be here all night.”

“OK, I’ll try to indicate with my voice whether I’m reading Draco’s words or Harry’s words.”

“How do you know if they’re Harry’s or Draco’s?”

“The handwriting is obviously different and Harry used a red ink and Draco’s additions are in green ink.”

“I should’ve known you’d know the difference.”

“Brian Kinney are you trying to upset me?”

“Me, upset you? Never in a million years Sunshine.”

_On the train to Hogwarts for our sixth year Draco extended his hand and asked if we could forget the past and start over. I just looked at him like he had two heads but I eventually was able to tell him that I would try and shook his hand. My two best friends, Hermione and Ron, just stood there without saying a word. I think Ron expected the train to drop into a giant hole and Hermione probably knew what was going to happen; she probably read it in a book. (In case you couldn’t tell that was an inside joke)_

****

Leave it to Harry to leave some items out and over emphasize others. Voldemort sent some of his Death Eaters to rescue his followers the Ministry had jailed in Azkaban Prison. My father, who had been his biggest supporter, instead of being rescued was killed with a suffocating spell as the Death Eaters walked by his cell since Voldemort viewed him as a loser and wanted to send a message to his remaining followers. While I never really thought about what it meant to become a Death Eater I just assumed I would become one just like my father simply because my father was a Death Eater. When The Dark Lord so casually had my father executed I lost any desire to become a follower of that madman. He actually owled me a letter explaining why he had my father killed during the escape. I spent the rest of the summer figuring out what I was going to do with my life. The first decision I made was regarding Harry. I figured out that the only reason I had hated him was because my father expected me to hate him. Without that pressure it was obvious to me that there was no reason for us to be enemies. 

****

“Justin do you really think that those are English accents? I’ll give you credit in that they’re different but I’ve heard better accents on some of the cartoon shows Gus used to watch.”

“Dad don’t pick on Uncle Justin. Go ahead Uncle Justin you sound fine.”

_Throughout our sixth year Draco and I became, if not friends, neutral in public but in private we became more than friends. As they say there’s a fine line between love and hate and once we managed to admit that we really didn’t hate each other then love was able to develop. It was kind of amazing, one day he was that annoying git Malfoy and the next day he was beautiful Draco. To be truthful Draco wanted to come clean to the Hogwarts community before I did but I was afraid of what would happen if Voldemort found out that I cared for Draco. I didn‘t want to put him into more danger than all of us already were in. I was also worried about how my friends would take the news, that I was gay and that I fancied Draco Malfoy. I figured the gay part wouldn’t cause any reaction but the Malfoy part would be like throwing a hornet’s nest into a quilting bee.(how’s that for an Americanism?)_

****

Once I got past hating Harry it didn’t take me very long to realize how handsome he was and how much I really wanted to be his friend. I regretted all of the time we had wasted as enemies because the adults in our lives wanted us to be enemies. I would’ve been happy with staying friends but once Harry got past looking at me as a villain he looked at me much like a lion looks at a gazelle. I didn’t stand a chance and I didn’t want a chance to escape.

****__

During this time we lost our virginity to each other. One night in late May of 1997 we found ourselves on the parapets of the Astronomy Tower and before I knew what was happening we were both naked. I can’t remember taking my clothes off but then I don’t remember Draco removing them either but suddenly we were both naked, aroused and in each other’s arms. We were snogging, I mean kissing, like our lives depended on it.

__****

I love magic almost as much as I love Harry Potter.

****

_We had wanked each other many times during the latter half of the school year but that was as far as we had gone physically. To be totally truthful that was the only thing I really knew how to do. While my kissing had gotten better with practice and we had plenty of practice I’m sure it was nothing compared to mind blowing kisses I got from Draco. What he can do with his tongue should be illegal._

****

Harry, Harry tell the Yanks the truth. I’ve never told anyone because no one would believe it, everyone just assumes that I seduced the virtuous ‘Boy Who Lived’ but the first time we did anything sexual was all Harry. It was just after we had returned to Hogwarts for the second term of our sixth year and we had snuck off to an unused room. I had gotten there first and was looking out the window at the lake. I heard Harry enter but I didn’t turn around, that would’ve told everyone that knew us how much we had changed, so I was surprised when he grabbed my shoulder and pulled me around and into his embrace. I was speechless at his actions and even if I’d been able to think coherently enough to talk I couldn’t have because his tongue was in my mouth fighting with my tongue. I was vaguely aware that his hands were undoing my pants and that I was getting hard because the pleasure I was getting from his tongue in my mouth was overwhelming my mind. When he took my fully erect cock into both of his hands and started wanking me off then I became very aware of what he was doing. I was 16 and had been wanking off for years but I don’t think I ever came as hard and as fast as I did that night. I then practically fainted but as I slumped to the ground Harry went down with me, never letting his tongue out of my mouth or his hands off of my cock. He laid me out on the floor and lay down beside me somehow removing his own pants. Naturally as soon as my mind was working again I took hold of his cock and wanked him off, he didn‘t last very long either. Don’t let him play the inept kisser card; Harry has been a wonderful kisser since the first time our lips met.

****

_Draco transfigured one of the stone benches, lining the parapet, into a very comfortable cot and we just fell into it without breaking the mouth watering kiss we were performing. Then Draco looked into my eyes, asked with those wonderful grey eyes of his, I nodded yes and his cock was up my ass with my legs wrapped around his waist in 5 seconds flat; well it seemed that fast to me. Obviously he used lubrication and stretching spells but when he started moving in and out I thought I was going to die I felt so wonderful. Draco was and is very flexible and within seconds of his shooting his load he had pulled out of my body moved his body up and then sank onto my cock. (He had to pull my cock away from my belly first) As wonderful as I had felt with his cock up my ass I felt even better with my cock up his ass. Neither one of us lasted very long that first time but we repeated our actions after we took a short nap and both of us took much longer to come the second time. It’s been over sixteen years since that first fuck but in all of the times we’ve had since then we’ve always flip-flopped, hard as it is to believe but there has never been a time when one of us was fucked and the other wasn’t. Draco is still the only man I’ve ever been with and want to be with. Always flip-flopping will come into play later in the story._

****

I think I’ve already written how much I love magic but that can never be stated enough. I had practiced those spells on myself because I wanted our first time to be perfect. I‘ve never understood how anyone can be satisfied by only topping or only bottoming but then I suppose none of them have Harry Potter in their bed. Harry is a wonderful top and a tremendous bottom, of course I’m biased and have no real base for comparison since I too have never been with anyone else.

****__

Over that summer between our sixth and seventh years we met whenever it was possible, which wasn’t very often, and had sex every time. One night while Draco was with me at my house in London the Death Eaters broke into Malfoy Manor and murdered his mother and all of the house elves that tried to protect her. When Draco went home the next morning he found the carnage and as you can imagine he was enraged with even more hatred towards Voldemort and the Death Eaters than he had before. Luckily he came back to my house instead of going after the villains and I was able to calm him down enough so that we could make some plans regarding our vengeance on the bastards. Since there no longer was a reason to keep our relationship secret we decided to tell the Hogwarts community about our relationship as soon as school started again. We informed the Ministry about the attack but they didn’t seem to think it was of any importance and did very little to solve the crime. After all it was only the wife of a Death Eater that was murdered.

__****

Voldemort was such an idiot since he truly thought killing my mother would make me decide to follow him. There were 10 house elves living at the Manor that night but only seven happened to be there when the Death Eaters attacked. I imagine that the Death Eaters were very surprised when the Elves tried to defend my mother especially since they managed to kill 3 of the bastards and wounded several others. I had a devil of a time convincing the other three elves that it wasn‘t their fault they weren‘t there and to not kill themselves as punishment. Harry and I aren’t the biggest supporters of the Ministry in case you can’t tell.

****__

So as soon as the Sorting Ceremony was concluded, when we had returned to Hogwarts for our seventh year, I stood up at my place at the Gryffindor table and asked the Headmaster if I could speak to the school. That was one of the few times I ever saw Dumbledore surprised. I’m sure he knew about Draco and me but he didn’t expect us to tell the Wizarding World and by telling the student body we were telling our entire World. So I walked up to the head table and was joined by Draco. I was planning on using the sonorous spell to magnify my voice but as soon as we had gotten close enough we had taken hold of each other’s hand and as that action was noticed by the students the silence became deafening. As far as the student body was concerned we were sworn enemies that could barely stand being in the same room and here we were holding hands and staring into each other‘s eyes. There were a record number of owls sent out that night. 

__****

I sent one to Voldemort basically telling him to suck lemons. The owl never came back to the school so I think it actually delivered the message and paid the price.

****__

My fellow students of Hogwarts as much as we might not like it times are changing and we have to change with them. As much as none of us want to we are going to have to decide which side of the coming war we will be on. Some of you will be pressured by your parents and other relatives to support Voldemort others will pressure you to stay neutral. I’m afraid that neutrality is no longer an option. Voldemort kills his own supporters for the slightest failure so what is the likelihood of his leaving neutrals alone. Draco’s mother was murdered this summer by Voldemort’s followers simply because Draco never openly supported the Dark Lord and for some reason Voldemort thought that killing Narcissa would make her son loyal to him. My parents were murdered by Voldemort himself because they didn’t support his first reign of terror. Draco has joined with me to fight the Dark Lord when the time is right. I’m asking the rest of you to join with us. I don’t think Voldemort is ready to openly fight so that will give us time to train for the war that is coming as well as to continue our educations. All of us, from the first years who joined us tonight to we seventh years will have our parts to play whether it is this school year or in the future. We will do what we must but we must not give into terror or Voldemort wins.’

__

All of the students rose and cheered and generally made a mess of the place. Eventually they calmed down and returned to their seats. 

__

**I love magic almost as much as I love Harry Potter as I‘ve already written. It was so loud I thought I‘d gone deaf. Given half a chance Hogwarts students will throw food and that’s the mess Harry mentioned.**

__

For the few of you who haven’t noticed; Draco and I are also involved with each other romantically, once we decided to not kill each other it made sense to love each other, so we both have something more than the freedom of the Wizarding World to fight for; we have each other and our future together.” I then swept Draco into my arms and kissed him like my life depended on it which in a way it did. I didn’t hear it since I was otherwise occupied but Hermione told me later that the revived cheering was so loud that no one could hear anything that the Headmaster and the other professors were shouting. Professor Dumbledore was very upset with me for asking the students to join us though he understood that it was necessary but he was very happy with the other announcement I had made. My best mate, Ron Weasley, didn’t speak to me until the next afternoon, but he told me then that he understood why I had kept my relationship with Draco a secret and that he would support us 1000%.(math has never been Ron’s strength) Ron even shook Draco’s hand and pulled him into a hug after he gave me his blessing. I suppose he whispered into Draco’s ear the clichéd threat of killing him if Draco ever hurt me but neither of them has actually told me that he did that. Less than 10 students left the school that night and the next couple of days. Surprisingly more of them were from Hufflepuff House than Slytherin.

__****

Actually Weasley told me that it certainly took me long enough to get Harry to admit what was going on between us, that he and Hermione had known almost from the first day, something about Harry walking on air. As you can probably imagine I was speechless. The Hufflepuffs who left tried the neutral option but in most of the cases they and their families were attacked by Voldemort or the Death Eaters when they started raiding the Wizarding World in Britain later that school year. Luckily only a few were killed or hurt since those raids, for the most part, were poorly planned and performed. Looking back I don‘t think Voldemort really wanted them to be successful; he wanted everyone to believe that he won the war all by himself. Of course that blew up in his face.

****__

Our Seventh year went well, Draco and I openly dated and not once did anyone from the school speak disparagingly to us about it. Well one fifth year Ravenclaw girl complained that it was bad enough that I was gay and out of the dating pool but did I have to take Draco with me. There was some disappointment about our relationship from some adults but more because of who we were rather than the fact that we were both boys. Some people still don’t understand what I see in Draco or what he sees in me. There was one funny incident relating to our relationship though. The third year Slytherin and Gryffindor boys, as a group, decided that they would follow in our footsteps and date. Only thirteen year olds would think that they could do so as a group. Just imagine 10 boys walking down a hallway all of them holding hands, not two by two but all ten of them together. It lasted 2 days before they were laughed out of the idea. Draco and I hoped that walking like that was the only thing they did as a group. Though two of them became a couple in their seventh year and are still together today.

__****

They did sleep together as a group; of course they just transfigured a couple of their beds into one huge bed and all ten of them spent the night on it. They really thought that was what sleeping together meant. I did get the clichéd threat though; a Gryffindor second year told me in no uncertain terms that if I hurt Harry in any possible way that he‘d make sure I regretted it. I took the boy very seriously since everyone in the Wizarding World knows that Gryffindors (even very young ones) are crazy when defending Gryffindor honor.

****__

Justin I’m probably overloading you with details so I’ll try to stick to the main points that led to the birth of Ron and Blaise. I’ll probably mention some of the items I’m skipping in other stories.

__

We graduated from Hogwarts in June of 1998 but the signs had become more obvious that Voldemort was about to finally start the war. Death Eaters started making random raids all around the UK and Ireland though most were nothing more than nuisances; one was the raid that killed Seamus Finnegan. The final battle happened on September 11 of that year on the Hogwarts grounds. It’s always amazed me that Voldemort would choose to fight on our home grounds but he was a conceited bastard and I doubt he even though there was the slightest chance he would lose. Obviously he did lose but even as he died he had a look of astonishment on his snake-like face. I’ve always wondered if he was surprised because he was dying or because Draco and I worked together as a couple to kill him.

__****

We were holding hands as we fought him and that was what caused the look. The idea of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin working together was simply beyond his ability to comprehend. He might’ve figured out as he was dying that love was truly worth having.

****__

From the day after the battle until Jan 1 the Ministry kept having victory celebrations all over Wizarding Britain. I was expected to appear at all of these celebrations but I talked Draco into going to them as well which pissed the Minister of Magic to no end. He didn’t like that his hero was gay and he really didn’t like that I was in love with Draco Malfoy. I finally had to tell him that if he complained one more time about Draco then he wouldn’t have either of us at any more celebrations and that he would have to explain my absence.

__****

I only agreed to go because I knew how much it would bother Fudge. Well and because Harry wanted me to go. It’s surprising how many things I do because Harry wants me to do them. It‘s amazing how powerful and elegant his looks can be when he wants them to be.”

****

“I know that feeling Gus. Now Justin don’t give me a Kinney glare.”

****_“After the final celebration we had to become adults. Draco started overseeing the Malfoy family interests and while he did a fine job he hated every minute. Neither of us have ever had to work to support ourselves or our family since we both inherited enough money to live out our lives on but we both have always wanted to stay busy._ __

At several of the victory celebrations I had mentioned that I had often considered a career in pro Quidditch so when representatives of one of the lesser teams offered me a position I jumped at the chance. Before the season began it became obvious to me that I wasn’t good enough to play professionally but it was also obvious that they were planning on starting me at Seeker and that they were very sure that we would capture the franchise’s first championship. Basically it didn’t matter how good I was since any match I appeared in would be a sellout and we would win every match because the other side would do nothing more than make an appearance and play just well enough that it wouldn‘t be obvious they weren‘t really trying to win. After all I was the ‘Boy Who Lived to Become the Wizarding World’s Savior‘ and no one wanted to put a damper on that by beating my team. Once I could admit all of that to myself I quit the team before the first match of the season. I even resisted the impulse to tell the Quidditch magazines the real reason I was retiring before I even flew one professional match.

__****

I’d never seen Harry as angry as he was the night he figured out what that bastard of a team owner was up to when he offered Harry a position on his team except for the day we fought Voldemort and that bastard threatened the students of Hogwarts.

****__

I then decided to become an Auror. I had the NEWTS necessary to enter the training program and so I started my career working for the Ministry. I was a good Auror but I never really loved the job so I had no problem giving it up when I got to the point in my pregnancy that I couldn’t apparate. 

__

So the pregnancies finally appear in the story. Of course I need to back track some in order to explain how we actually got pregnant.”

__

“Brian have you ever thought about it would be like to be pregnant?”

“Never Justin and you haven’t either.”

“We could ask Harry to cast a spell.”

“No we couldn’t Sunshine. How would we keep their secret if you turned up pregnant?”

“There are other options Brian.”

“Don’t go there Justin.”

“Am I missing something Dad?”

“No Sonnyboy nothing at all. Finish the letter Justin.”

**I didn’t love being pregnant but I loved the look on Harry’s face when I told him I had gotten pregnant. Well the look on his face after the look on his face when he wanted to kill me.**

__

After we graduated from Hogwarts Draco and I lived apart, he in his family’s ancestral home and I stayed at my house in London. Looking back it seems silly that we lived apart but I had a good reason at the time but I can’t remember what it was. Of course we spent most nights together at one home or the other, apparition allowed us to do so no matter where we spent the day. Both of us can apparate from anywhere in the UK and Ireland to anywhere else in one attempt, most Wizards can’t do that. Of course we can apparate a long distance into the rest of Europe as well. By the first of January 2001 we finally moved into together in a flat that we bought as a couple.

__

By July of that year I was tired of all the comments people made about us, which they thought we didn’t hear. It was amazing that we had spent practically every night for over two years together and no one noticed but from almost the first day that we officially lived together everyone noticed. The comments about how two proud family lines would die out simply because we were too selfish to marry and have children like good wizards should. Of course I realized that they were right, not about Draco and I being selfish but about our family lines. I remembered reading about some wizard bearing a baby hundreds of years ago (actually I remembered Hermione talking about a wizard having a baby that she had read about in **‘Hogwarts, A History’** so I researched the topic and found the spells necessary. So on the first of October 2001 when I got home from work I went to our bedroom, stripped and got on the bed. I then proceeded to point my wand at my abdomen and performed the spells. All I can say was that it was a very interesting feeling to have my insides rearranging and growing new parts. Basically the spells transfigured one of my kidneys into all of the organs needed for me to get pregnant and to carry the fetus to term. They also grew a connection to my colon and put a filter on the opening to that connection so that only sperm could enter the tube. The tube also attracted sperm so that there would be no problem with fertilization happening. Finally one of the spells took some of my sperm cells and transfigured them to eggs and placed them in the proper place for fertilization to occur. Magic is a wonderful thing. You have to realize that only a very powerful Wizard would’ve had any luck with those spells. 

__****

Harry actually admitting that he’s a very powerful Wizard, that doesn’t happen very often. 

****__

I then made myself as sexy looking as possible so that Draco would be in the mood and we could have sex during the four hour window that the spells provided. If I got fucked during that four hour time period I would get pregnant. The organs would stay until after the birth and then would return to my normal setup. That kidney could never be used again as a surrogate womb and the spells would be much less likely to work on the second kidney. But if I didn’t get fucked in the four hour window then everything would start reverting. I wasn’t really worried about accomplishing my goal since Draco and I had sex almost every night and most mornings at that time but I couldn’t help but worry so I lay on the bed as provocatively as I could. I didn’t have to worry because as soon as Draco walked in the front door he started stripping and by the time he got to the bedroom he was naked and as hard as I’d ever seen him. Draco has a beautiful cock but when it’s fully erect it’s magnificent; straight as an arrow, stands straight up against his tummy, hard as steel and it almost glows from the pulsing of the blood in it’s vessels.. Needless to say we had fucked each other twice by the time the four hours was up.

__****

What can I say, I love Harry Potter. I wasn‘t the only one who was hard by the time I got to the bed. Harry’s cock isn’t chopped liver either as you both know.

****

“Sonnyboy I know what you want to ask but just don’t.”

“OK Dad.”

_I hadn’t planned on it but I found myself telling Draco what I had done as soon as it became obvious that neither of us was up for round three. I’d never seen him so mad, not because I got pregnant, but because I pointed a wand at myself and hoped that everything would work out. I told him that I’d researched everything and that there wasn’t any danger but that wasn‘t a good enough answer as far as he was concerned._

****

I’ve never been so angry in my life. Point a wand at your body and perform spells with no one in the house to fix anything that might go wrong. As much as I love Harry he can be such an idiot some times. 

****__

I asked him why he’d been so horny since he didn’t usually come storming into the room naked and ready to go. He had to admit that he’d taken a potion that would allow him to get pregnant and that the side affect of the potion was to make him so horny he couldn’t control himself. So we went from not having a child to carry on our family names to having two of them within an hour. Of course the same witches who were so worried about our family names dying out were scandalized by two wizards getting pregnant. Those witches would’ve been upset by anything we’d done I suppose. Most potion makers couldn’t make that potion and have it work properly either.

__****

While he didn’t say so in this letter Harry was almost as furious at me as I was at him. I remember that he said, ‘you took a fucking potion you fucking idiot you could’ve fucking died, then he kissed the snot out of me.’ Sometimes his extensive Hogwart‘s Education fails him. I had the sense to have someone else near me that could’ve taken me to the hospital if something had gone wrong when I took the potion.

****__

All that was left was the birth of our sons. Neither my set of spells or Draco’s potion did anything to our bodies to allow the babies to be born. We made arrangements to have them surgically removed at the Wizarding Hospital, St Mungos, in London. On June 18 2002 the boys decided that it was time see the outside world. As I was lying on my bed I got to worrying about being cut open so I tried to think of another way for the boys to be born. You would’ve thought that I would’ve thought of this problem sooner but sometimes the most obvious things are the hardest to see. I had been able to sense the baby in my body for the last several months so I decided that I would try to apparate him out. So using the proper spell but wandless, since my wand was with my robes, I disapparated the baby and all of the afterbirth and apparated everything onto the table the mediwizards were planning on using to clean the babies up after the surgery. Needless to say they were very surprised when a bloody baby suddenly appeared on the table. Since the baby inside of Draco was also part of me I could sense him too, though not as clearly as I had sensed the boy inside my body, so as soon as my son was cleaned up I did the same to Draco’s son and the mediwizards were amazed again. After the first time you would’ve thought they would’ve been expecting the second baby. While I say my son and Draco’s son that is simply for convenience, from the day they were born they’ve both been our sons. We raised them as twins and they think of themselves as twins but they know exactly how they came to be born. We did everything necessary legally to get the relationships recognized by the Ministry. We named the boys Ronald Sirius James Potter and Blaise Severus Lucius Malfoy. The names come from our best friends, godfathers, and fathers in that order. The two are such a mixture of Draco and me in every possible way. Ron has Draco’s hair color but my uncontrollable hair while Blaise has my hair color but Draco’s perfectly straight hair. Ron has Draco’s silver eyes while Blaise has my green eyes. They both have my Gryffindor courage and Draco’s Slytherin sneakiness and as you can imagine that has gotten them into a scrape or two in the last eleven years. But as the Sorting Hat told us, we asked it, they have Ravenclaw smarts and Hufflepuff loyalty and that he could‘ve put both of them in any of the four houses but a Malfoy in Hufflepuff and a Potter in Ravenclaw was a statement too good to pass up.

__****

I was dreading having my body cut open but I never even thought of disapparating the baby out but then I couldn’t sense him nearly as clearly as Harry could. As I told you in Ireland Harry Potter is the most powerful wizard in history. I seriously considered burning that Sorting Hat up but Harry talked me out of it, he always talks me out of the fun things I want to do. A Malfoy in Hufflepuff as a statement what a crock.

****

_On May 15, 1998 I was out in the green houses for some reason I can’t remember._

****

Snape had given him another detention, Hermione and I figured it out once, in the seven years we attended Hogwarts Professor Snape gave Harry 357 different detentions. To be totally truthful he only deserved 355 of those detentions. In those seven years Snape gave me two detentions, if I remember correctly, and neither of them was deserved.

****__

Neville Longbottom, a fellow 7th year Gryffindor, was there helping Professor Sprout teach the first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Suddenly the bells of the castle started ringing; I’d never heard them ring at that time of day in all of the years I’d been going to school. Professor Sprout told the firsties to be quiet and called me to meet with her and Neville at the back of the room.

__

‘Boys the bells ringing at this time of day is an alarm. The Castle must be under attack by the Death Eaters. I have to try to get help from the Ministry. I want you two to protect these students. Harry do whatever you think is safest, stay here or get into the Castle but keep these first years safe.

__****

There were more Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff first years than normal since the Sorting Hat had been very reluctant to put students into Slytherin that year and the next for that matter. Usually there were around 10 students per house per year but only 2 had been sorted into Slytherin that year. The only reason that there were even those two was because the Hat knew what might happen to them if they were sorted into any of the other houses. I hate to imagine what would’ve happened to me if I’d been sorted into Hufflepuff. At the very least I would’ve been disinherited by my father. Don’t tell Harry but I wasn’t really upset when Blaise was sorted into Hufflepuff.

****__

‘Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws I’m putting Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom in charge. Do everything they tell you to do without question. Hopefully this is just a false alarm.’

__

With those words she ran out the back door of the greenhouse and headed for the school boundary where she would be able to apparate to a place with a Floo connection so she could call for help from the Ministry. Hogwarts is warded so that no one can apparate in or out and only selected fireplaces are connected to the Floo Network and those are strictly controlled so that no one unauthorized can use them. You might be wondering why Professor Sprout didn’t apparate to London for help but the simple fact is that she couldn’t go that far on one apparition so it was faster for her to use the Floo. Most Wizards and Witches have a limited distance they can apparate and most have to rest for a length of time before they can apparate a second time.

__

“I wonder what a Floo connection is Brian?”

“I imagine that if it’s important enough then Harry will explain it somewhere in the letter.”

“That makes sense.”

“What do you mean twink, I always make sense.”

“Get on with the story Uncle Justin before Dad gets going into a full fledged Queen out.”

“Augustus Brian Peterson-Marcus that Sunshine smile won’t protect you every time.”

“But it did this time didn’t it Dad?”

“Yes Sonnyboy it did this time. He’s right Justin go on with the story.”

_“‘Harry what are we going to do?’_ __

‘Don’t worry Neville we’ll stay here until everything is over.’

__

Of course no sooner than those words left my lips a stray curse hit the glass ceiling of the greenhouse and cracked every pane. Obviously it was no longer safe to stay in the greenhouse and risk getting the first years cut up by falling glass.

__

‘Listen up all of you, we’re going to go to the castle since it‘s not physically safe to stay here. I need you to pick a leader for each house I have an idea about how we’ll get to the castle in case we run into any Death Eaters on the way. Choose quickly but choose wisely because in order for the plan to work you’ll have to trust your leaders, each other, Neville and me.’

__

The Hufflepuffs picked Harriet Stoner and the Ravenclaws picked Harold Miller. I didn’t know it then and we didn’t have time to find out then but Harriet and Harold were first cousins and they were also first cousins with my best friend Hermione Granger. They were children of three Muggle sisters. In their seventh year Harriet and Harold were named Head Boy and Head Girl, the first time in history that those posts were filled by such close relatives in the same year.

__****

In my younger days, when I was a bigoted idiot, I would’ve just considered them worthless Mud bloods but the three of them are better wizards and witches than any three pureblood cousins I know of. It turned out that their maternal grandmother was a Squib from the Goyle family. We all understood why she never told her family about that connection because even rabid Death Eaters really didn’t want to admit to being related to the Goyles.

****__

‘This is what we’re going to do. As soon as we get outside line your housemates up in three lines of five or as close to that as you can with the number you have. I want each of you in the middle of the group so that everyone in the group can hear your commands. Neville will follow the Hufflepuffs and I’ll follow the Ravenclaws to provide some offensive power if it‘s needed. Hufflepuffs will go on the right side of the path to the castle and the Ravenclaws on the left. We will then walk to the back door of the kitchens, don‘t worry I can get the door open once we‘re there. If for some reason I’m not there call for Dobby and tell him that Harry Potter said to let you in and to lock the doors after you’re all in the building.

__

On the walk I want you to tell your fellow housemates to cast any spells you know to the front. Have each line cast at a different height so that there are spells covering your group from every forward angle. Hopefully there aren’t any Death Eaters on this side of the castle. Your spells should block any but the most powerful hexes coming at you, I’m guessing the Dark Lord won’t have sent very powerful wizards on this raid and that the best of those will attack the front of the castle. Harriet, Harold your jobs are to coordinate the spells your classmates cast. You know better than I do what you first years know so use the spells that everyone can cast as strongly as possible. Neville and I will provide backup to each group but our goal is to get to the kitchen door not to fight any possible Death Eaters.

__****

This was genius, having a group of wizards working together to protect the group. The usual wizard way of fighting is everyone for themselves. Now a truly powerful Death Eater would’ve been able plow through those defensive spells like a hot knife through butter but Harry or Neville probably would’ve been able to take him out while he was dealing with the first years. A truly powerful Death Eater probably would‘ve ignored the first years as not being important enough to deal with; especially Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw first years. They probably would’ve concentrated on Harry and ignored Neville; which would’ve been a mistake since Longbottom was and is a powerful Wizard too. Our year at Hogwarts had more than it’s share of powerful Witches and Wizards.

****‘ _Listen up first years, do what Harriet and Harold tell you to do and trust in each other. That is very important, rely on your friends to protect you and they’re going to rely on you to protect them. I’m hoping that there aren’t any Death Eaters in our way to the castle but if there are I want them to rue the day they decided to attack Hogwarts and I want them all to know that Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, even first years, are as dangerous to their plans as any Auror the Ministry will send to stop this raid.’_ __

So we left the greenhouse, lined up and started for the castle. It had to have been a sight for the Death Eaters who were stationed on the backside of the castle grounds, and we found out that there were four, to see the masses of spells coming at them. Most offensive and defensive spells, strong ones in particular, have a distinctive color and can be seen after they’re cast. Harriet and Harold did a wonderful job of picking spells that their classmates knew and to do them in an unpredictable order. Not a single first year got so much as a scratch though I managed to trip over a rock in the path and twisted my ankle. The Death Eaters weren’t very dangerous as it turned out, 2 were men older than Voldemort himself who probably were never very strong magically at any time of their lives and certainly weren’t that day. The other two were Slytherin boys who had graduated two years earlier and neither had any real magical power.

__****

I wouldn’t have bet on either of them winning a duel with any of the first years let alone the whole group. Most of the other houses would‘ve been surprised but most Slytherins back then weren‘t particularly strong wizards or witches so we had to get by using our wits, not that all of us had many wits either.

****__

The two young Death Eaters apparated away as soon as they saw the mass of spells coming at them, of course Voldemort killed both of them for running away from Hufflepuffs when he found out the details. The two old men tried to send spells at my charges but my system of defense worked and every spell they sent was blocked. Harold got the bright idea of capturing them so he had all of his Ravenclaws send a Wingardium Leviosa charm at the closest Death Eater. While none of the spells were very strong 15 of them had that old man floating in the air, he was so surprised that he dropped his wand. Harriet saw what was going on and did the same to the other old man with her 18 Hufflepuffs. As soon as I managed to get up from the ground I used the Incarcerous spell to tie up the Ravenclaw’s captive and Neville did the same to the Hufflepuff captive though he had to Accio the man’s wand first. As soon as the old Death Eaters were helpless the first years let them drop to the ground and we continued to the castle. Both of them had several broken bones when the Aurors took them to the Ministry Building in London, no one at Hogwarts really gave a damn about that. Dobby let us in and locked and warded the door behind us then gave everyone of the first years a; what is the Yank word? Oh yes he gave each of them a cookie.

__

Ministry Aurors had gotten word about the Raid from Professor Sprout and had arrived soon enough to drive off the other Death Eaters before they accomplished their goals, again Voldemort punished them for failure but even he had to have known that he sent way too few and far too weak wizards to have any chance at capturing Hogwarts or do any real harm. All they managed to do was break off a gargoyle from a tower, ruin a flower bed, and crack the glass ceiling tiles in one greenhouse. Voldemort was truly delusional since he never figured out how his draconian punishments drove away many potential supporters.

__****

I think that was the goal of the raids, show how incompetent his followers were so that the victory would all be of his own doing.

****__

Hufflepuffs know how to throw a party. The seventh year Badgers honored their first years and their Ravenclaw associates with a party that lasted until dawn since they were the only actual Hogwarts students involved in the defense of the school. Of course none of the honorees stayed awake anywhere near dawn but I’m sure that all of them stayed up longer than they had ever been up in their lives. Neville and I were considered honorary Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs until graduation. Harriet and Harold presented us with Badger and Eagle pins so that everyone in the school would remember that fact. It was kind of funny to see the firsties pretending to be drunk on the pumpkin juice they imbibed at the party. Some Slytherin told them that at a real celebratory party everyone gets drunk.

__****

That would’ve been me.

****

 


	7. A Wizarding Letter part 3

  
Author's notes:

More than a year ago I was watching a Harry/Draco video which like all of the others was clips taken from the four movies (at the time) arranged to implicate something going on between the blond and brunet from the Harry Potter universe. Then there was blurry sex scene and I thought: I don’t remember that from any of the movies. (vbg) When the next sex scene came up I paid more attention and it was obvious that it was a scene between Brian and Justin from QAF. So that got me to thinking about a cross over fic using Brian, Justin, Harry, and Draco. It occurred to me that I had the perfect place for such a fic in my Gus universe. I had a time when Brian and Justin were in Ireland and wouldn’t it be convenient if Harry and Draco were in Ireland at the same time. The next step was to think of an actual story, which I came up with but the problem was that it had very little Brian and Justin. Eventually I figured out a way to jiggle the idea to make it at least passable as a Brian/Justin cross over fic even if it’s heavily weighed to the Harry/Draco universe.

I started before Deathly Hallows was published but I had decided even before then that were things in Half Blood Prince that I didn’t want to deal with (mainly the Horcruxes) so the Harry Potter part of this fic splits from canon after The Order of the Phoenix. The Gus universe broke with QAF canon after season 2.

If you don’t have at least some knowledge of the Potter Universe then this won’t make much sense and if you haven’t read any of my Gus Chronicles then it won’t make a lot of sense either.

This chapter is too long so it will be broken into 3 parts. This is part 3 of 3.

There is a short epilogue at the end of the chapter.

It’s best to think of anything written in italics as handwritten in Gryffindor red and anything in bold as handwritten in Slytherin green.

 

 

 

QAF belongs to Cowlip and Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and I make no profit from this fic.

* * *

_Justin I probably should’ve written this letter in chronological order but it feels better to me to write what I think of when I think of it.(I hope that makes sense) I haven’t written this in one sitting either. The boys were born on June 18, 2002 and since I had apparated them out of Draco and me instead of having them cut out we went home on the 19th. To this day the Healers at St Mungos insist that what I did was impossible and they want to know how I did it. Since I really don’t know how I did it I can’t tell them and that just bugs them for some reason._

_We had decided that Draco would return to his job running the family industries and that I would stay home to watch the babies since we didn’t have any House Elves. Don‘t get me wrong Draco did his share of caring for the boys but I wanted to stay home and take care of them. I imagine that desire had something do with how I was raised._

****

I tried to talk Harry into bringing one of the Manor Elves to the flat or even to hire Dobby to work for us but he wouldn’t hear of it. All of the Malfoy elves and probably all of the elves (not to mention the many witches that asked for the job too) in Britain wanted to take care of our sons. Raised is not the word I would use for how Harry was brought up.

****__

I wasn’t going to let anyone else raise my sons and we didn’t have enough room in the flat for the four of us let alone a House Elf or nanny. By Christmas it became obvious that the flat was simply too small. (It’s interesting to me that I’ve done so well using American English in this letter but I can’t seem to make myself use apartment instead of flat) I had no real problems taking care of the boys but powerful Wizarding babies like Ron and Blaise were much more mobile than Muggle babies of the same age. I had plenty of people willing to give me advice (even some who didn’t have children of their own) and to provide babysitting services but none of them knew how to keep the boys from floating out of their cribs every time they waved their arms. I was told that almost all Wizarding babies do magical babbling and that most can float a few inches above their mattress but that they don’t go high enough to float out of the crib. Not only could Ron and Blaise float out of their cribs they could also move anywhere in the flat they wanted to using their arms to focus their babbling. So they were less than a year old and were able to use wandless magic. We became very observant about keeping the doors and windows locked after I caught Ron halfway out of a window one afternoon. I don’t think I’ve ever been as afraid as I was at that moment, not even when Draco and I faced down Voldemort. I don‘t even want to imagine how powerful the boys will be when they become adults. They‘re more powerful now than I really want to admit to myself.

__****

Harry really didn’t want to move to the Manor and he thought we could manage in the flat but when Ron and Blaise floated into our room and watched us make love that was the last straw. Luckily they don’t remember what they saw and I’m pretty sure they had no clue what we were doing; after all they were only 6 months old. But just in case I‘ve always made sure our bedroom door has been locked since they watched us that night. Harry is right about how powerful the boys are; luckily they either don‘t realize their strength or simply aren‘t old enough, at eleven, to want to use it for nefarious purposes.”

****

“Dad what was that look you gave Uncle Justin?”

“Draco’s comment just reminded me of something from our past. It involved a little ditty if I remember correctly.”

“Well I won’t ask since I know neither of you’ll tell me. Go on with the letter Uncle Justin but you better let that giggle out first before you hurt yourself.”

_“Once they started talking and walking they seemed to lose the ability to do wandless magical babbling. On January 1, 2003 I had to bite the bullet and we all moved to Malfoy Manor, not only was it very large there were two elderly House Elves who were thrilled with the idea of taking care of Malfoy babies again. The third Elf considered caring for babies as beneath his station; though he was the worst at spoiling them._

****

Knobby knew exactly what to do to stop the nighttime wandering. He just attached a length of elastic to the mattress and clipped the other end to their clothes. They could float and move but only as far as the elastic would stretch. He told us that this was the best way since it kept them out of trouble but didn’t compromise their magical babbling. **Harry is right about Bobby spoiling the boys but then he had spoiled me and my father as well. It wouldn’t surprise me if he spoiled my grandfather too since Bobby was the oldest House Elf I’ve ever heard about.**

****__

Unknown to Draco I had been taking a Muggle correspondence class in education. While I enjoyed taking care of the boys I knew that I couldn’t do it forever so I decided that maybe teaching was my true calling. Unknown to me Draco had contacted Professor Dumbledore, at Hogwarts, to find out if there were going to be any positions opening up there anytime in the near future. He had decided that he didn’t want to run the Malfoy family businesses for the rest of his life. Dumbledore had informed him that there was going to be four or five openings for the next school year. Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and Defense Against the Dark Arts for sure and possibly Ancient Runes. He told him that if he was interested in any of the positions to be sure and apply and if I might be interested to have me apply as well. You have to realize that there aren’t strict requirements to teach at Hogwarts, just having a N.E.W.T in the subject is about all and that can be waived at the Headmaster‘s discretion.

__****

To this day Harry still doesn’t know that the only reason I contacted Dumbledore was because I knew Harry was taking that Muggle course and probably wouldn’t even think of trying to apply to Hogwarts. I really didn’t plan on teaching but as I tried to figure out how to get Harry to apply the idea became more and more appealing to me. Potions was the only position I considered but I thought Harry could handle any of them except Ancient Runes. Of course we both knew that we would have to change how classes were taught at Hogwarts and we‘ve been very successful at that challenge if I say so myself.

****__

After taking the Muggle course I really wanted to see if I could transfer some of the ideas to Wizarding Education but I would’ve never thought of applying to Hogwarts but once Draco brought the idea up I couldn’t think of anything else. I would’ve sent an application the next day except for the boys. Before I could take a job we had to decide about what to do with our sons.

__****

It wasn’t as hard as Harry makes it seem to have been. I simply asked Dumbledore if we’d be able to have our own quarters where the two of us could live with the boys and at least one House Elf. He said that wouldn’t be a problem; at least until the boys got to the age of going to school themselves and we’d deal with that problem when it happened.

****__

So on September 1 of 2003 Draco and I were announced to the student body as the new professors of Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Draco was also announced as Head of Slytherin. I didn’t get Head of Gryffindor until 2007 when Professor McGonagall finally retired. The boys were a little over one that night but they were introduced as the Slytherin and Gryffindor mascots. Professor Dumbledore thought of that little appointment; he even gave them a salary of one Galleon a month. They were talking and walking very well for their age and both of them demanded that they be allowed to eat at their House tables. I was gob smacked when they said that. Of course Blaise said snak tab and Ron said eat red but we knew what they meant. Harriet and Harold were the Head Girl and Boy that year and they made sure that the students of all four houses looked out for Ron and Blaise. That first year the boys were good at walking but they had problems with the stairs but I doubt if either of them had to wait more than a minute or two before some student would pick them up and carry them up or down the staircase. I also never saw the stairs change direction on them either unless the change made it easier for them to get where they were going. Even the castle itself looked out for them. The Heads looked out for them every year as long as the boys lived at Hogwarts.

__****

While I didn’t like the idea of them being mascots I decided I would lose that fight so I might’ve told the boys that they should request eating at their tables. The Slytherin girls almost came to blows over who would get to take care of Blaise. He was only one but I swear he knew exactly what was going on and ate up that attention like it was candy. The Gryffindor girls made up a schedule, on the spot, for who would take care of Ron. Ron started flirting with the girls that night and hasn’t stopped since but he’s an equal opportunity flirter and the boys haven’t been safe from him either. I don’t have an idea where he learned to do that. You should’ve seen the look on the seventh year boy when a five year old Ron asked him what he was doing later that night and then winked at him. I’m reasonably sure a girl put him up to it but I’ve never been perfectly sure. I know the boys are only 11 now but I’m dreading when they finally get old enough to really start dating. Blaise will probably only date girls but Ron will most likely date anyone that will go out with him. We did put our feet down and forbid the students to take the boys to class more than once a week that first year but we let them go to more classes as they got older. I almost laughed out loud, around Christmas 2003, when Professor Sprout complained to Harry and me that the Hufflepuff girls had asked her when she was going to give them a mascot.

****__

Gryffindor and Slytherin didn’t play Quidditch until the last game of the year and the boys were pushing two by then so they actually knew what they were doing when they were asked to lead cheers.

__

The next year the boys solved a problem that had been troubling Hogwarts students for over 50 years. Argus Filch had been the caretaker for that long and he’d been scaring students from the day he started. Ron and Blaise figured out the way to neutralize the man. They made friends with his cat. No one was sure if he kept replacing his cat with a look alike when needed or if Mrs. Norris had lived that long but no one had ever thought of befriending the beast. So the boys got one more defender who was more than willing to overlook any rules they might bend. They bend rules but never break them out right. Draco and I can’t say anything since both of us did the same during our school years and there are too many portraits in the school that know the facts and would tell the boys in a heartbeat if we did. You muggles don’t know how lucky you are that your portraits and pictures are static and can’t tell anyone that will listen what they’ve observed since they were hung on the wall.

__

“You know Justin I’m not sure I really want to know what Harry means.”

**I’m sure that Filch has shown them several of the secret passages that Hogwarts Castle is infested with. After all how else would 2 four year olds find their way, unseen, to the candy store in Hogsmeade by themselves than by the passage that goes directly from the castle to the store’s basement? In hindsight we might have been providing the boys with too much spending money since when Harry and I got to the store they had a bag of candy almost as big as they were. But then they were buying for all of Gryffindor and Slytherin since, as they told us, they took their jobs as mascots very seriously.**

__

The boys turned 6 in 2008 and we had to figure out what to do with them for that school year since school rules wouldn‘t allow them to be in the building during class sessions once they were old enough to go to school themselves. While the rule seemed silly on the surface it was a good rule in reality, Hogwarts teaches magic to students 11-18 but they need to have learned basic information before they come to school. So we had to find a school for them to attend the next 5 years before they were able to attend Hogwarts. Muggle born Wizards go to Muggle schools and some half bloods do the same but very few full or pure bloods can pass as Muggles so there are various options for them. Some are home schooled by their parents and some attend day schools run by Wizards or Witches who have some teaching ability. Obviously this system leaves a lot to be desired and it’s Draco’s and my goal to do something about it before we retire. We decided that we would Floo the boys to The Burrow, which was the family home of my good friend Ron Weasley, and bring them back every night. Mrs. Weasley had started a day school as soon as her first grandchild needed to be taught the basics. She always considered me her seventh son so of course she expected us to let the boys go there. What surprised all of the adults involved was when Ron and Blaise told us that they wanted to stay at The Burrow like it was a boarding school. We couldn’t talk them out of the idea and Mrs. Weasley loved the idea of them staying with her at night. She had raised seven children and missed having youngsters in the house. Of course several of her grandchildren decided they wanted to stay overnight too so she actually ended up with a boarding school. So everything was the opposite whenever Hogwarts was in session the boys stayed at the Weasley’s; when school was out then they stayed with Draco and me at Hogwarts. It worked out better than I expected and of course this year they started at Hogwarts. Mrs. Weasley still has grandchildren staying at her boarding school though within a few years all of them will be attending Hogwarts.

__****

Mrs. Weasley did and does a wonderful job of teaching her students what is necessary for them to be ready to study at Hogwarts. I wish I could say the same for all of the other wizards and witches teaching children at home and similar day schools. It’s very difficult to teach a first year how to stew a potions ingredient when they can’t read the textbook instructions because they can’t read anything.

****__

It‘s always amazing the little things you find out though because of unexpected events like the boys wanting to stay at The Burrow. When the boys were eight or so I had gone to pick them up to bring them back to Hogwarts for the Spring break. I was early so I spent some time talking with Mr. Weasley who was home from work. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were the closest thing to parents that I ever had. My own parents were killed before I can remember and my Aunt and Uncle were the opposite of good parents.

__

‘You know Harry the older the boys get the more they look like Narcissa did at their age.’

__

‘You knew Narcissa when she was eight?’

__

‘I can‘t say that I knew her, she was much younger than me but I did see her at family events and my youngest brother and she were friends at that time of their lives.’

__

‘Youngest brother, I didn‘t know you had any siblings.’

____

‘Of course I had siblings, would I have had seven children if I were an only child? I had 2 older brothers, an older sister, two younger sisters and one younger brother so I was the middle child. Most Weasleys have many children which is why we’re related to practically every other Wizarding family even the ones who wouldn’t admit the relationship if their family fortune depended on it.

__

‘Why haven‘t I ever met any of them?’

__

‘None of them are in Britain anymore. The girls all married foreigners and moved to their home countries. My older brothers moved to Africa during Voldemort‘s first reign of terror and both are dead now. Percival was killed by a hippopotamus, if you can believe it. Robert, the youngest, and his lover were killed by Death Eaters just before your parents were murdered by Voldemort. But getting back to the point, I saw Narcissa Black at family events until her mother finally decided that there were too many of the family that weren‘t good enough for her girls to associate with. Of course when Andromeda married a Muggle born the rest of the family was more than happy to goad Narcissa’s mother with that fact. My grandmother Weasley was born a Black; she was a sister to Narcissa‘s grandfather.

__

‘Wait until Draco finds out he‘s related to the Weasleys.’

__

‘Now Harry don‘t start anything, it‘s not much of a relationship.’

__

‘I know and Draco won‘t really mind, he and Ron buried the hatchet years ago.’

__****

There are worse people to be related to than Ron and Hermione Weasley. It wouldn’t surprise me if my Blaise and their daughter Molly wind up married someday. Don’t ask me why I just have a feeling.

****

_As I’ve written repeatedly the boys are going to be very powerful wizards when they’re grown but then with me and Draco as their parents should I be surprised? So I suppose I should tell you a few stories about their magical strength. That statement tells me how powerful they are since 11 year olds really shouldn’t have any magical strength yet. The average 11 year old Wizard can do some fairly simple spells when they start at Hogwarts but that is it. They learn through the year but Ron and Blaise simply have more power than the rest of the first years put together. There are many things they can’t do simply because they don’t know the proper spells but they could do them if they did, the rest of their year mates couldn’t do those spells today no matter how long they were taught the words and wand movements. Draco and I made the decision years ago to not let the boys learn anything too powerful too early but I’m afraid that now they’re actually attending Hogwarts that plan won’t work. To be truthful it probably never did work. I’m sure that there were very few students over the years that wouldn’t have told the boys anything they asked._

****

We had no choice once it became clear they can do things that are beyond their age. Six month olds should not be able to use their arms to focus magic but they did it. I have no doubt that if they really understood the idea of wandless magic they could knowingly do that as well. They do wandless magic they just don’t know that they are doing it. Harry’s right about the students telling Ron or Blaise anything they asked about. I just hope that they didn’t actually ask such questions.

****__

The boys had their first run in with the Ministry of Magic when they were four. But I need to give some background before I tell you that story. After my parents were murdered by Voldemort; Professor Dumbledore took me to be raised by my mother’s sister. He felt that it was much safer for me to be raised in a family setting rather than in the Wizarding World due to blood magic and the safety that magic provided me. He believed that my mother sacrificing herself for me allowed me to reflect Voldemort’s killing curse. By living with my mother’s family that protection would continue. My aunt and uncle hated the idea of magic so raising a Wizard wasn’t something they wanted to do. Dumbledore convinced them to take me in but he didn’t make sure that they would actually take care of me and he didn’t check up on me. I had a deprived childhood to say the least. Looking back the worst is that Uncle Vernon truly felt he did more for me than any other sane man would’ve done under the circumstances.

__****

Professor Dumbledore is a great Wizard but how he could have been so stupid about Harry’s Muggle relatives I’ll never understand. The worst thing about how Harry was brought up was that no one in the Wizarding World knew and when he came to Hogwarts when he was eleven we all thought he was a spoiled prince. I should’ve been smart enough to figure out the truth even then but my father was very anti-Harry Potter and I went along with him. Would a prince wear the obviously handed down, overly large, clothes that Harry wore? Would a prince be practically skin and bones? Oh the time we wasted hating each other.

****__

Years later I found out that Aunt Petunia didn’t hate magic so much as she was bitterly jealous of my mother being a Witch. I think she also was bothered by the fact that I looked so much like my father who was a much better looking man than her husband. Their son Dudley, my cousin, treated me like some unwanted vermin that infested the house but then he had plenty of examples to follow from Uncle Vernon to justify his behavior. Just before my fifth year at Hogwarts something happened and I saved Dudley’s life. While we never became close friends, or cousins for that matter, we did find a way to be civil to each other. A few weeks after Draco and I killed Voldemort I got a message from Dudley inviting me to his wedding. In fact he asked me to be his best man. I had no idea he was so serious about a girl, I had been too busy with my own affairs to keep up with family gossip not that I had ever kept us with family gossip, but I liked the idea of bugging Uncle Vernon by being in the wedding party so I agreed to be the best man and showed up at the chapel on October 15, 1998. I thought it best not to bring Draco but it wouldn’t have mattered if he had been there since Uncle Vernon refused to come to the wedding. Evidently there was some flaw with Matilda that didn’t make her good enough to be a Dursley. The fact that she was 9 months pregnant didn’t help matters either. So Dudley was married at 2 PM and James Henry Dursley was born at 4 PM. I was surprised that Dudley named his son after my father and me but I’ve never told him that my official birth certificate name really is Harry and not Henry.

__****

There’s no doubt Harry favors his father and there is even less doubt that James Potter made Vernon Dursley look like a walrus. Dudley isn’t so bad for a Muggle but I did threaten him once that I’d turn him into a hog not just give him a pig’s tail if he even thought about hurting Harry again. Jamie is as sweet a boy that you could hope to meet. He’s a very good influence on his younger cousins. He is the very definition of a Hufflepuff.

****__

On Aug 10, 2006 Uncle Vernon died. He was buried on the 15th and I felt obligated to go to the funeral. I really have no idea why I felt obligated but I did. Draco insisted that he would go to support me and we decided to take the boys with us as well. I think we decided that they needed to meet some Muggles. Believe it or not but many Witches and Wizards have never really met a Muggle.

__****

We didn’t have any baby sitters, the Weasley’s had gone to Romania to visit their second oldest son, Charlie. Mrs. Weasley was, and is to this day, trying to set him up with a nice young Witch. Charlie is the only true bi-sexual I’ve ever met, though his mother has never admitted that to herself. If Charlie has a Witch living with him then she acknowledges them as a couple but if he’s living with a Wizard then they’re just roommates. Anyone else we would’ve felt comfortable leaving the boys with had plans of their own. Besides what trouble could two four year olds get into in Muggle Surrey?

****__

The funeral went as funerals go. Dudley and his family had to return to Manchester that night so that Dudley and Matilda could go to work the next morning. We hadn’t planned on spending the night since we had the boys with us but Aunt Petunia asked us to stay. While she hadn’t been overly pleased to find out I had a male partner she fell in love with the boys at first sight. They have that effect on a lot of people. We did a lot of talking and the boys had fun playing with Muggle items. Finally it was time to go to bed, the boys had been put to bed hours earlier. Ron and Blaise were in my old room, Draco and I slept in Dudley’s room. I have to admit that wasn’t the best place I’ve ever spent the night.

__****

One of the very few nights when Harry and I’ve been in the same bed and haven’t made love. Have I mentioned how much I love Harry Potter? The boys loved having a great aunt since they don‘t have any real close relatives. The conversation Harry had with Petunia when we first got there was priceless. Harry walked in the door followed by Ron and Blaise and then me. We were all dressed in wizard robes, Harry and I had on black but Ron was wearing Gryffindor red and Blaise had Slytherin green.

****

‘Aunt Petunia may I introduce my Husband, Draco Malfoy, and our sons; Ron and Blaise.’

****

Ron and Blaise performed bows as they were introduced.

****

‘Husband? Harry have you been keeping secrets?’

****

Then she got down on her knees, opened her arms and winked at the boys who rushed into her hug.

****

‘Harry they’re darling. I’m so glad you could bring your family. I’m so sorry that you never felt welcome in this house enough to let me know about these wonderful little boys.’

****

‘Aunt Petunia they’re wizards.’

****

‘So? I’ve learned my lessons Harry, I’m so sorry about how I treated you but I certainly won’t repeat my mistakes with these wonderful little lads. I also have to say Harry that you have a fine taste in men.’

****

Harry was speechless, one of the very few times that I’ve ever seen that phenomena. It took me a few seconds to be able to speak after that compliment as well.

****__

About 4 AM we were awakened by a terrible shouting and an explosion. Like most children of Wizarding households Ron and Blaise had toy wands. Though made to look like a real wand they don’t have the ability to focus magic potential and allow a magical person do spells. The toy wands allow children to learn how to hold a wand and take care of it as well. Somehow Ron and Blaise had used their toys to light up the kitchen and open the fridge door. Needless to say they shouldn’t have been able to do either spell at age four with a real wand let alone toys wands.

__****

I was so proud of our boys. I was also very worried. I thought if they can do impossible magic at four what are they going to be able to do at 10 or 20 or 30?

****__

But by doing those spells in a Muggle house they set off the automatic alarms the Ministry has covering all of Britain to prevent the use of magic by underage Wizards and Witches. The law states that any wizard or witch under age 17 can only do magic at Hogwarts, or any other approved magical school, and only during the school year. Of course this only affects Muggle born students and the few half bloods that live in Muggle homes. The alarms can detect magic and the presence of a registered student but in magical homes they can’t tell if the magic was done by an underage wizard or an adult but in Muggle areas the assumption is that the adults can’t do magic so by default the magic has to have been done by an underage wizard. I had some problems with this law when I was growing up. Draco and I were surprised because we didn’t know the Ministry had the boys registered since they weren’t students at Hogwarts. We found out the next day that every resident at Hogwarts has their magical identity measured and put on file at the Ministry. Everyone at Hogwarts is classified as an adult or as a student. Since whoever set up the system never thought that young children would live at the school the system automatically listed Ron and Blaise as students since they weren’t on the faculty or staff lists. So when the boys used magic to light up the room and open the refrigerator the automatic system sent a message threatening to have them expelled from Hogwarts. Of course Ron and Blaise had no idea what the message meant but they were startled by it and attacked the floating letter that had announced the message. That attack was the noise that woke Draco, me and Aunt Petunia up. It was amazing how funny Aunt Petunia found the whole incident.

__****

I don’t know where they learned it but both boys hit that warning letter with a fire spell. The poor thing didn’t have a chance and it was completely turned to ash before any of us got to the kitchen. Needless to say that the Ministry changed their methods after Harry and I got through with them. No one and I mean no one was going to frighten the sons of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. I was told by people I trust that the Ministry didn’t get over our visit for weeks. Harry can be very frightening when he wants to be. Not that the boys were scared, they thought it was a wonderful adventure.

****__

It took a while but we got them both back to sleep and they had forgotten the whole incident when they woke up in the morning. Aunt Petunia actually apologized to me, several time while we were there, for how poorly she and Uncle Vernon had treated me when I was living with them. We go to see her at least a couple of times a year since the boys really do love her and she loves them. She even came to Hogwarts one summer. That visit came in handy when Dudley’s son Jamie got his Hogwarts letter the summer of 2010. It surprised everyone but it really shouldn’t have been that unexpected. After all I inherited part of my magical ability from my mother who was Petunia’s sister so it makes sense that Petunia’s grandson could have magical ability too. Jamie was sorted into Hufflepuff and while he isn’t nearly as powerful as Ron and Blaise he looks out for them as if he were the stronger Wizard. Jamie is the archetypical Hufflepuff and I’m sure he’ll be the Hufflepuff 5th year prefect next year and it wouldn’t surprise me if he becomes Head Boy in his 7th year.

__****

After Jamie got his letter I looked into the Evans family tree. It turned out that Petunia and Lily’s maternal grandmother was a squib from, as unbelievable as it seems the Malfoy family. Harry and I are 4th cousins since his great grandmother and my great grandfather were 1st cousins. Of course she was shown the door on her 17th birthday and forbidden to use the name Malfoy since she was a squib and as everyone in the Wizarding World knows the Malfoys don’t have squibs. At least her branch of the family let her stay until she was 17 and gave her some gold to live on until she managed to fit into the Muggle world, my branch would’ve sent her packing when she didn’t get a Hogwarts letter. It is surprising how many Muggle borns have a squib ancestor, usually a female ancestor.

****__

One fine Saturday afternoon, when the boys were ten, I got a Floo call from Molly Weasley asking that Draco and I come to The Burrow as soon as possible. She told me that it wasn’t an emergency but that we should get there as soon as it was convenient for us. As you can imagine we were worried sick since Molly is a very level headed Witch and for her to request our presence meant something bad had to have happened.

__****

In case you haven’t noticed Harry can over think situations once in a while. I wasn’t worried in the slightest.

****__

Five minutes later we apparated to The Burrow.

__****

More like an hour maybe two.

****__

When we got there I almost had a heart attack because neither of the boys were in the house. My immediate assumption was that they were at St Mungos. Mr. Weasley must have noticed how worried we were because he immediately stated.

__****

I wasn’t worried because if anything had happened the Weasleys would’ve dealt with it before calling us. The Weasleys have a slew of grandchildren but they consider Ron and Blaise their grandsons too so they would‘ve taken any necessary steps before calling us.

****__

‘Harry the boys are fine we just felt you should see what they’re doing this afternoon.’

__

‘They didn’t hurt themselves?’

__

‘Nothing of the sort, they just managed to surprise Molly and me with another one of their abilities.’

__

While I know he meant the best that statement didn’t calm me in the slightest.

__****

I had to pull Harry into a hug and squeeze him into not running out of the house half cocked. Not that anyone could claim that Harry has a half cock. I know I know; it sounded much funnier in my head than it looks written out on this parchment.

****__

‘What did they do?’

__

‘You know that yesterday was Molly’s birthday and that we got permission from Dumbledore for several of Molly’s graduates to come for the party.’

__

‘Yes, Fred and George Wood, Seamus Weasley, and Jamie Dursley wasn’t it?’

__

‘That was the crew from Hogwarts, plus all of the students, I’ll never get used to calling my grandchildren students, of the Day School were here for the party. When did Jamie and George Percy Wood start dating? Do either of you know why Oliver Wood used all six of my sons names when he named his three boys. I know it can’t be a coincidence even if we are related.’

__

‘Dating I didn’t know they were dating, aren’t they too young to be dating? I’ve never asked Oliver about his sons’ names. Draco do you know?’

__

‘Why would I know?’

__****

For as smart as he is Harry can be pretty slow on the uptake some days. The Wood brothers are the oldest children of Harry’s good friend, and first Quidditch Captain, Oliver Wood. Seamus is the son of Ron and Hermione Weasley, Harry’s best friends. Jamie of course is the son of Harry’s cousin Dudley. Obviously I knew why Oliver named his sons the way he did, Harry knew too but he most likely forgot. Oliver lost a bet with one of the Weasley twins over a Quidditch match. But Fred Weasley lost another bet and had to name his first born after Oliver which is why Molly and Arthur have a granddaughter named Hermione Olivia. Fred was going to name her Hermione Oliver but Wood told him that would be going too far.

****__

‘Harry they’re dating and have been since last spring, George is a 3rd year and Jamie is a 2nd year but he’s old for his year. I don’t know why I told you that since you have both of them in class. You have realized that there is a lot more same sex dating going on at Hogwarts these days than there was during our school years haven’t you?’

__

‘Is there Draco, why is that?’

__

‘I don’t know; two of their male teachers living together as a couple. But while they’re dating they aren’t doing anything they shouldn’t be doing at their age. I doubt if they’ve even kissed since neither George nor Jamie are very brave even if George is a lion.’

__****

As I’ve written earlier, sometimes Harry is pretty slow on the uptake.

****__

‘What does all of this have to with the boys Arthur?’

__

‘It’s simple Harry, after the Party all of the boys were outside and the Hogwarts contingent started going on about how much fun they had flying their brooms. George especially told them about his tryout for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.’

__

‘Well?’

__

‘Harry you know your boys better than anyone, what do you think happened?’

__

‘Shit Harry they thought about it all night and they did something about it today.’

__

‘Right in one Draco. Let’s go out back and see what the younger generation of Potters and Malfoys are doing.’

__****

Most Wizarding children, especially boys, get a toy broom. These brooms can’t fly in the true sense but can only float a couple of feet above the ground and move forward at a very slow rate of speed. An adult has to charm them to do even that much and the charm doesn‘t last very long before it has to be redone. It’s much like turning a key to make a muggle toy move. Basically these toy brooms serve the same purpose that a tricycle does in learning how to ride a bicycle. Most children play with the brooms for a couple of years before getting tired of them and putting them away. But when they get to their magic school and actually get the chance to fly a real broom they know how to sit a broom and aren’t afraid of being off the ground on the broom. Ron and Blaise had put their toy brooms away into the Weasley’s broom shed and hadn’t messed with them for years.

****__

We trooped to the back of the lawn and looked over the back fence. Our sons were chasing each other in an obvious game of tag. Instead of running around on the ground they were flying through the air on their toy brooms. It was another example of their power since I doubt if many adult Wizards could do the same thing with those toy brooms. Mr. Weasley and Draco were both staring at the boys with looks of wonder. I was just worried about how we would deal with this momentous event.

__****

Of course I was staring with a look of wonder. My sons were doing something at eleven that I couldn’t do today and I’m a very powerful Wizard. Harry could probably do it but not as easily as Ron and Blaise were doing it. A true flying broom has built in charms that actually allow the flying and moving, the Wizard just uses his magic to direct the broom. Those toy brooms don’t have those charms so in order to fly with them the boys used their magic to do all of the work. That takes a tremendous amount of power and skill. If I really put my mind to it I can levitate myself and move across a room but at a very slow rate of speed and it physically exhausts me. Harry can do better than me but given the choice he would always use a broom instead of just levitating himself. Ron and Blaise were levitating themselves, and the toy brooms, and doing it with no obvious strain at all. I think it was another example of them doing what they want but not knowing that they can’t do it. One of these days Harry and I are going to have to bite the bullet and have a real talk to them about their power. I don’t want them to do something stupid and have The Ministry decide that they are trying to take over the Wizarding World. Believe me when I say that there are fools in the Ministry who would believe that 11 year olds are trying to take over the Wizarding World if they ever got the idea in their heads. My biggest fear as a father is that someday the boys will decide to take over the Wizarding World. My real fear is that they probably could take over the Wizarding World if they ever tried to do so.

****__

‘Well Harry I’m sure you understand why Molly asked you and Draco to come here this afternoon.’

__

‘I wonder if they have any idea of what they are doing.’

__

‘Harry they’re ten, of course they don’t know that they’re doing the impossible.’

__

‘Arthur do you have any ideas about what we should do?’

__

‘Yes Draco I do, why don’t you and Harry get a pair of brooms from the shed and go play 2 on 2 Quidditch with your sons. I’ll be the referee.’

__****

Harry and I got the brooms and a quaffle then had a very enjoyable hour before having one of Molly‘s wonderful suppers. The solution we came up with was to buy them real brooms. We hoped that by doing that they wouldn’t show their power by doing the impossible in front of witnesses. Plus they were less than a year from going to Hogwarts and we would have to get them brooms then anyway. When Harry and I were first years it was against the rules to have personal brooms during your first year, that rule was thrown out after we defeated Voldemort.

****

_The next example I have of the boys’ magical power is very recent. In fact it happened the Monday after we met you and Brian in Ireland. They did something in the Slytherin common room that got large numbers of other students following their lead. For first years to get seventh years impressed is very powerful. I haven’t found out the whole story yet, mainly because I haven’t really tried, but when I find the time to really work on him Draco will spill the beans in 10 seconds flat._

********

I don’t know what the Gryffindor is talking about, 10 seconds is ridiculous I can withstand his wiles for at least 15 seconds. But if he bats his eyes in that way he does when he really wants something then I can’t last a second.

****

What’s so funny Uncle Justin?”

****

“Well Gus it must be a brunet thing since your Dad can do the exact same thing and I can’t resist it either.”

“HMPH”

“Did you say something Brian?”

“No Sunshine, go on with the story.”

_Ron and Blaise and their friends Minerva Weasley, of Gryffindor, and Katie Wood, of Slytherin formed the New Marauders the day after they were sorted when they realized that they were in all four houses._

****

Harry, Harry they knew that they were in the four houses as soon as Katie was put into Gryffindor they just couldn’t get together until the next day to form their group. Those four were going to form a group even if all of them had been in the same house. They’ve known each other since before they got out of diapers and they were planning The New Marauders by the time they were seven.

****__

They took the name from a group that my father and his friends formed when they were first years. Of course they were all in Gryffindor and I hope that the New Marauders don’t get into any where as near as much trouble as the original Marauders did. Several new groups formed after the event in the Slytherin common room but they all acknowledge the New Marauders as the premier Hogwarts group. For the upper classes to admit that younger students are better than they are really shows that the youngsters are very powerful magically.

__****

Harry you don’t know what you’re talking about. Magical power had very little to do with it. What the older students are acknowledging is political power. As a Slytherin, and a partial eyewitness, I understand what is going on much more than a Gryffindor like Harry can ever understand. It isn’t a coincidence that there are fewer Lions in these new groups than any other house. I suppose it would be easier just to tell you what happened. As Harry wrote the event happened on the Monday after we were in Ireland. I just walked in on the tail end of the event but it was settled before I even had the chance to let my presence be known.

****

What I saw was my poor 7th year Slytherin prefect, Riley Crabbe, with more than 30 wands pointed at him. What was amazing that all of the wand owners were the 1st years from all four houses. When Harry and I were going to Hogwarts none of the other houses were even sure where the Slytherin common room was located and no Snake would’ve ever invited a student from another house to the Slytherin common room. No student from any of the other houses would’ve come if they’d been invited. There were many Slytherins who bragged that they had never even spoken to anyone from another house, other than in a classroom setting. No first year Slytherin would’ve ever stood up to a 7th year let alone the prefect. They would’ve figured out a way to get even with the prefect but not in a public way. I speak from personal experience on this situation.

****

Katie Wood, the Slytherin of the New Marauders, had not only invited the other 3 of her group but all of the other first years for a tour of the Snake common room. It seems that they had already visited the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw common rooms and were going to tour Gryffindor the next day.

****

Riley had come down to the common room from his dorm when he heard the noise that 30 odd eleven year olds make. Katie was telling the group the history of the room and for some reason he objected to Slytherin history being given away. Riley is the youngest son of the oldest brother of one of my friends from Hogwarts when I was a student there. Vincent Crabbe was killed during the war, unfortunately he was on Voldemort’s side. He was one of the unfortunates sent on an unwinnable raid and executed by Voldemort when the raid failed. The Crabbe’s have never been one of the brightest families of Wizards and Riley is a prime example of the family. For some reason he hasn’t figured out that times are changing in Wizarding Britain, which includes Hogwarts. From what I put together the conversation went something like this:

****

‘Wood what are you doing?’

****

‘Riley what does it look like? I’m giving a tour of the common room to the other first years.’

****

‘How many times do we have to tell you firsties that you call someone by their surname? You call me Crabbe not Riley.’

****

‘Isn’t that terribly old-fashioned?’

****

‘It’s the Hogwarts way. All of the professors call each other by their surnames even our resident couple. You also don’t bring non Slytherins to our common room. Get this trash out of the Slytherin common room and as punishment you will clean the room tonight after supper.’

****

‘Crabbe are you as big an idiot as every other member of your family that’s come to Hogwarts for the last 200 years?’

****

“What?’

****

‘You heard me. I may have been sorted into Slytherin House but I have more in common with my year mates than older house mates. So no I won’t get this trash, how dare you call us that, out of the room until the tour is over. The Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws didn’t mind when we toured those common rooms and I doubt that the Lions will have any problems with the tour of their common room tomorrow.’

****

‘You little snot nosed first year traitor get them out of here before I have to make you with my wand.’

****

‘Are you really that stupid Crabbe?’

****

‘What do you mean Wood?’

****

‘You’re going to make me do something at wand point when you’re outnumbered by over 30 to one?’

****

‘What are you talking about little girl?’

****

‘Look behind me nimrod, what do you see?’

****

‘How can you know what’s behind you? Do you have eyes in the back of your head?’

****

‘No you egotistical idiot I just know who came with me today. I know that every first year in this room has his or her wand pointed at you. We may be first years but we know our history and we know how Professors Potter and Malfoy won the war even if we weren’t born yet. We work together. So you might be a mighty 7th year prefect but even you can’t stand up to 30 plus jinxes hitting you at the same time.’

****

That’s when I came into the room and diffused the situation by sending Crabbe to my office and finishing the tour with a few anecdotes from my days as a Slytherin student. For some reason Ron and Blaise didn’t find my stories as interesting as the other first years did.

****

I told Katie that she would have to do as the prefect told her and clean the common room after supper. Of course she didn’t end up cleaning the room since all of the other firsties immediately set to picking the place up. I don’t know that it has ever been as neat as it was that afternoon.

****

Obviously word got out to the rest of the school and the groups started forming the next day. There is every possible combination you can think of and probably some you wouldn’t. It wasn’t lost on any of the students that the while all of the first years stood with Katie the four New Marauders stood close enough together that they would’ve all felt any jinx that Crabbe might’ve gotten off before he was defeated by the entire group. After talking to Riley I have to admit that he is as stupid as Katie implied since even telling him point blank where he went wrong he still insisted that he was in the right. It was this kind of pure blood stupidity that led to the Voldemort War and more than likely will lead to another one in the future. Harry and I and I hope our sons will work to prevent that from happening but we have to admit that it is always a possibility.

****

_oving on with the story, Draco and I when we first decided to apply for teaching positions at Hogwarts discussed the changes we would have to make in order for us to be truly successful teachers. Of course we knew that we would have to bide our time before trying to change the methods of a 1000 year old school but we both agreed that our number one goal was to make the changes necessary to bring the school into the 21st century._

********

Harry sometimes has a very faulty memory, he was trying to make changes the first day we were there. In a thousand years there had never been house mascots yet on our first day as teachers our sons were named mascots for Slytherin and Gryffindor.

****__

As I’m sure I wrote earlier there are usually around 40 students per year divided into the four houses. There’s only one teacher per course of study, though many of the professors are capable of teaching more than one, so you can get the same person teaching the same subject up to seven times in your school career. I don’t care how good a teacher you are that is too many times for students and teachers. Severus Snape was the Potions professor when Draco and I were students and because Snape and I never got along I never learned to make potions as well as I would’ve if I’d had some other teacher for at least some of my years at Hogwarts.

__

Then there was the problem of the schedules, at one time or another every possible combination of houses had been used. Most sixth and seventh year classes had students from all four houses since there were fewer students taking the classes, either because students didn‘t get the proper OWLS to qualify for the classes or students who simply didn‘t return for NEWT coursework. With the younger students there were classes with only one house, two houses and at least one time three houses as well as all four. So each teacher could have up to four sections of a course per year and when those sections met also varied wildly. Sometimes as students Draco and I had a course 1 time a week or 2 or 3 times and then none the next week. So our first goal was to have all classes for every year to consist of all four houses. The next goal was to have each class meet at consistent times. Over the last 10 years Draco and I’ve managed to get all of our changes made at Hogwarts. While I’m the Defense against the Dark Arts professor I teach first and second year Potions, Draco does DADA for those years and we team teach 3rd year of both courses. 

__****

Some of our fellow teachers saw the wisdom of what we proposed and went along with the changes immediately. Others either couldn’t or wouldn’t see the advantages we proposed so we had to wait until they retired and in one case finally admitted that he was dead and moved on. Why that ghost was allowed to teach I’ll never understand. I’ve heard he was amazingly boring when alive and as a ghost he was even worse.

****__

We also have given talks about our methods to almost all of the major Wizarding schools in Europe and many of the minor ones. Our methods have been adopted by most of them; in part or in whole. Our reason for going to the High Plains school is the same, we‘ll talk about our changes and explain why we feel they‘re important. We were very surprised when we got the invitation since we didn’t know that our ideas had spread so far.

__****

Harry might’ve been surprised but I wasn’t since I have a better idea on how famous Harry really is in the Wizarding World. Harry truly believes that he is just an average school teacher and that his victory over Voldemort is just an unimportant item from history. Many of the schools we’ve talked at only invited us because of Harry’s fame, that they’ve made the changes shows how important they are.

****

_I guess that brings us to the final battle of the Voldemort War. On Friday September 11, 1998 Voldemort chose to make his final attack. The whole point of this attack was to kill me. If I died then he won since there was Prophecy that said either he would kill me or I would kill him. We’ve never been able to figure out why he chose to fight at Hogwarts since that had to be the one place that we would be the strongest and he the weakest or why he picked that date. I suppose that was the reason, if he won at Hogwarts then no one could deny his overwhelming power._

********

It doesn’t really matter why he chose to fight at Hogwarts, just that he did and that he lost.

****__

Voldemort was also able to cast a spell that completely cut Hogwarts off from the rest of the world. For two hours there was no communication of any kind between the Castle and its grounds to anywhere by any means. The Floo connections didn’t work, the owls only flew in circles above the castle and no one could apparate from the outer grounds. We assumed, after the battle, that the hidden passages leading from the Castle to Hogsmeade were cut off as well but since no one actually tried them we don’t know for sure. The spell remained even after Voldemort’s demise and to this day none of the experts have figured out what spell he cast.

__****

Again it really doesn’t matter what spell he used just that it worked in his favor, not that it did him any good in the ultimate outcome of the battle. It did reduce our advantage over the Death Eaters though. When all was said and done it amazed most of Wizarding Britain how weak the Death Eaters actually were. Voldemort had killed many of his most powerful followers for the slightest disappointment. Most of those that followed him to Hogwarts that day simply weren’t very strong. My Aunt Bellatrix was very scary and very crazy but not very strong magically though she thought she was.

****__

The last classes of the day had just finished up and the halls were full of students headed to their dorms when there was a tremendously loud gonging of a bell. Then Voldemort began speaking in the same loud way. Everyone in the castle, the green houses, and the grounds heard every word. Even the students in the dungeons heard him just as clearly as those in the entryway of the Castle.

__****

More wasting of his power. The fool really thought he could beat Harry Potter and so didn’t worry about wasting his magical strength. Not that it would’ve mattered if he hadn’t wasted the power he still wouldn‘t have beaten Harry.

****__

It’s been a little over 15 years but I remember every word he spouted.

__****

I think everyone who was there remembers those words. Mainly because of how wrong they proved to be.

****_“Harry Potter it is time to end this war. You know as well as I do that you have to face me in order for the Prophecy to run it‘s course. I’ll give you 30 minutes to get ready before my minions attack. While I know that it will end when the two of us meet each other face to face my minions demand the right to please me by defeating and destroying your followers. Be ready to die Harry Potter be ready to die._ __

**He actually called them minions. He truly thought he could kill Harry.**

____

Just because your followers are young don’t think that my minions will show them any mercy. This fight is to the death and your students and their families are Mud Bloods or blood traitors so they will get what they deserve no matter their age.

__

Dumbledore being called to the Ministry wasn’t by chance. Thirty minutes Harry Potter thirty minutes and the battle begins.

__****

Threatening the youngsters lessened any chance that Voldemort had; I’d never seen Harry as mad as those words made him. He could’ve eaten iron bars his jaws were so firmly clamped together. 

****

You might be wondering why we were even at Hogwarts since we’d graduated the past June. Our spy in Voldemort’s camp had let Dumbledore know that Voldemort was planning something big so the Headmaster had sent word to leaders of the Order of the Phoenix to come to the school for a planning session.

****

“Brian do you remember anything about the Order of the Phoenix?”

****

“No Sunshine I don’t, I suppose we’ll have to read this story again after you finish it. To catch all of the little details. We can take notes and ask Harry and Draco when they come to Pittsburgh.”

“Is there a reason you’re trying not to laugh Gus?”

“Not that I can think of Uncle Justin. This is an amazing story though. I wonder what it would be like to be able to do magic.”

“Like we believe that line of codswallop Sonnyboy. Justin that spell is still working on me. If I‘m not talking normally by the time they get here promise me you‘ll get Harry to take it off of me.”

“No problem Brian anything to help my hero. Laugh Gus; get it out of your system.”

**When we got to Hogwarts we found that Dumbledore and McGonagall had been called to the Ministry in London. When Voldemort and his forces showed up only a few Order members had arrived. There were me and Harry, the Weasley twins, a couple of older witches that I didn’t know very well and Hermione Granger. Fred and George Weasley had brought their next older brother, Percy, with them. Percy worked for the Minister of Magic and had been on the outs with his family. The twins thought he was showing a change of heart so they brought him with them so that he could talk with their parents. Of course Mr. and Mrs. Weasley weren’t able to get to Hogwarts until after the battle was over.**

__

In all of my planning for fighting Voldemort I never expected that it would happen at Hogwarts. I expected it would happen out in the middle of no where for some reason. When Voldemort threatened the students I knew almost immediately how we would fight the battle. I fully intended to kill the bastard and I knew Draco would be at my side lending his considerable power and skills.

__****

Like we hadn’t had more than a few arguments about where I would be when the final battle happened. Harry really thought that I’d stay at home and knit a sweater while he went off to kill Voldemort. Let’s just say he didn’t keep that thought very long.

****__

I knew that we had to do everything to protect the students, especially the younger ones, during the battle and to make it possible for as many as possible to escape if the battle went in Voldemort‘s favor.

__****

As soon as Harry started telling the students his plans I knew what he was doing. In theory it was a good idea but I think that if it had come to it very few of the students, first years as much as the seventh years, would’ve actually run away like he planned for them to do if he lost. 

****__

Draco and I were in the Great Hall so as soon as Voldemort’s words faded away I asked Professor Sprout to apparate to Hogsmeade and call for help. I asked Hermione to run to the Owlery and send some owls to the Ministry. Professor Flitwick, the Charms professor, volunteered to go to the Headmaster’s office and Floo for help.

__

Within five minutes all of them had returned to the Great Hall to inform us that they couldn’t leave the castle or grounds. By then all of the students and staff had gotten to the Hall. I then told them that instead of dividing by house to divide by year. I also told the staff and Order members that I would have jobs for them and that I expected them to do their best to protect the students. I was surprised that none of them challenged my taking control of the situation.

__****

None of them dared. I doubt any of them had ever seen Harry so forceful. Plus the twins were standing behind him adding their support to Harry’s words. Even Peeves thought better of saying anything to Harry.

****

“Who the hell is Peeves?”

****

“How should I know Sunshine? Finish the story.”

_I asked Professor Flitwick to accompany me while I told the first and second years what they would be doing to defend the school._

****

You should know that Flitwick was, and is, shorter than any of the first or second years.

****__

“First and second years your job will be to guard the entrances of the hidden passages that lead from the castle to the outside. Of course when this little dustup is over Professor Dumbledore will probably have to Oblviviate the knowledge of these passages from you since I‘m sure he won‘t want you sneaking off to Hogsmeade after supper.

__****

That got a big laugh, which of course is why Harry said it.

****__

‘Professor Flitwick and the House Ghosts will provide leadership but I want each house to pick a leader whose job will be to make sure that all of you use the same spell if you have drive off any attackers. The second year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws can tell the rest of you how powerful a mass spell can be.

__

Professor Flitwick a word before you lead your charges into battle.’

__****

Another batch of laughter answered that statement. Harry was on fire, not only with this group but all of the others as well. He’s usually not that witty but he said the right thing to every group and he did it without really taking the time to think about what he was saying.

****__

‘Professor, can you charm some of the suits of armor to provide some physical strength and weaponry?’

__

‘No problem Harry no problem at all. No one will get past us. And Harry don’t worry, if the worst happens I’ll get them out of the castle through the passages.’

__

‘Thank you Professor. There’s no need to guard all of the passages since I doubt very much that Voldemort would bother using them. The ghosts can check on them though just in case.’

__****

Harry sent the House Ghosts, after telling them that he expected them to keep the students safe no matter what happened during the battle, with Flitwick and the first and seconds years to guard the hidden passages.

****__

After the first and second years had left the Great Hall I went over to the third and fourth years. I also had the women professors and female Order members, including Hermione, come with me.

__

‘Third and fourth years your jobs will be to do what ever is needed by these witches. I expect that Madame Pomfrey will need help in the hospital, setting up for any injuries and dealing with any injured students after the battle begins. Madame Pince and Hermione will need help researching whatever Voldemort is using to cut us off from the rest of the world. There will also be need for some of you to act as messengers and to bring wounded to the Hospital Wing.

__

I then took the Witches aside.

__

‘Ladies I expect that if things go wrong that you’ll get as many of these students out of the castle that you can.’

__

‘Don’t worry about us Harry; there are bolt holes from the Hospital and the Library.’

__

‘Thank you Madame Pomfrey.’

__

**This group of students was the least satisfied by Harry’s plan since they didn’t think he had given them an important enough job. They wanted to fight, even the girls, and his plan put them too far away from the fight in their opinion. One of them was brave enough to try to argue the point but Harry just looked at the boy and he backed down before he finished the first sentence.**

____

The fifth years I assigned to guard the back of the castle. I didn’t really think that Voldemort had enough followers to actually attack the back but that he would put enough Death Eaters to keep us from escaping that way. I asked Percy Weasley to be in charge of the fifth years.

__

‘Percy don’t let anyone get in the castle if you can help it. If the Death Eaters do make a major attack send for help but the main reason I want you with the fifth years is to get them to retreat if I fail. I know that Voldemort threatened all of the students but I think that he’ll save most of his ire for Slytherin and Gryffindor students so no matter what they say, if I fall, get them out of the castle and off of the grounds. Some one will figure out that Hogwarts has been cut off from the world and I expect that there will be plenty of Order members and Ministry Aurors as close as they are able to get to us before Voldemort’s spell fails or is broken. I expect there will be some Death Eaters guarding the back section of the grounds so you’ll have to fight your way out. Divide your students into several groups and have most of each group only do defensive spells while the strongest one of the group do the offensive spells. Percy when all of this is done you have to make peace with your parents and siblings. Now takes these fifth years and keep them safe.

__****

When the battle was over we were surprised at how few injuries our side suffered but the one fatality we had bothered Harry more than it should have because Percy Weasley didn’t get the chance to make peace with his parents. Molly Weasley, being the wonderful witch that she is, did everything she could to make Harry realize that Percy’s death wasn’t his fault.

****__

I assigned the sixth and seventh years to the front of the castle. I put Fred and George Weasley in charge. Draco and I would finish the fight once and for all when we defeated Voldemort but it was necessary to thin the ranks of the Death Eaters first. My plan was for the students to use the natural defenses of the Castle to protect themselves and to pick off any Death Eaters possible. I’m sure Voldemort thought we would just run out into the grounds and fight his minions there.

__****

I think I said this earlier but Harry’s plan of having the students work together instead of each one fighting by himself was genius and the Death Eaters didn’t have a chance. The fact that none of them, other than Voldemort, had any real magical strength helped as well. I think that just before he died Voldemort might’ve regretted his harsh discipline. My father and some of the others he’d had executed in the last year would’ve been able to cause more trouble than the Death Eaters he had with him were able to cause.

****__

The twins divided their charges into groups of 3 or 4 and told them to find a protected place from which to fight. Only the strongest in each group was to use offensive spells while the others would use defensive spells to protect their little group. Fred and George moved from group to group during the fight and provided extra offensive power. The twins had the hardest job of all of the leaders since if I fell then they had to get their charges to retreat and I knew that would be very hard to do. Of course I had no plan on failing.

__****

I’m pretty sure that Fred and George wouldn’t have even tried to get the sixth and seventh years to run away, the way Harry planned, but they probably would’ve been able to lead a fighting retreat if that had been necessary.

****__

I told every student that under no circumstance were they to use the Unforgivable Curses. They were to disarm or capture the Death Eaters but that punishment would’ve be left up to the Ministry. I wasn’t too worried about the Unforgivable since only a few of the sixth or seventh years could possibly do them but by telling them not to do so I was protecting their innocence.

__****

Protect their innocence! Harry Potter was the only one innocent at that battle. He’s right that only a few could’ve used the Unforgivables but even most of the first years would’ve tried if they felt it necessary to win the battle. For your information the Unforgivables are the Cruciatus Torture Curse, the Imperius Mind Control Curse, and the Avada Kedavra Death Curse. Harry didn’t want any of the students to use them because just using them hurts your soul even if you don’t actually hit an opponent with the curse. None of the students tried the Imperius or AK curses but I did see some Crucios flying in the direction of our foes.

****__

Finally Draco and I went to the main entrance of the Castle and waited for Voldemort to lose control of his followers and for the battle to begin. I’d done what I could and I just hoped that it was enough. I was hoping that the Ministry and the Order would break Voldemort’s spell and send reinforcements and I hoped that I was strong enough to defeat Voldemort.

__****

While we waited we might’ve fooled around a little, what can I say extreme danger makes me horny. I wasn’t too worried since I knew that Harry had done his best and that the students, from year one to year seven, would do their best as well. Speaking of horny, once we could leave, after everything was finished, Harry and I apparated to his house in London and almost set the place on fire with our passion if you know what I mean.

****

“Even I know what he means and I’m only 13.”

****

“mph!!”

“Breathe Brian breathe.”

_The battle lasted less than an hour and was a total success for the students of Hogwarts. We suffered one casualty and many of the sixth and seventh years suffered cuts and bruises from falling debris. 45 Death Eaters were captured at the school, eight were killed, and 112 were captured by the Ministry as they fled Hogwarts after Voldemort’s death or in the next 3 days. One of the captured was a Giant; the Ministry just transported him back to his native land since they didn’t have anywhere safe to keep such a captive. I heard more than one Auror proclaim awe that fifth year students were able to capture a Giant._

****

All of Wizarding Britain, except for the Ministry, was amazed that the fifth years captured that Giant. The Ministry in all of it’s wisdom didn’t think that any of the fifth years should even be acknowledged as having been at the fight let alone worthy of any honor for capturing a Giant.

****__

The first and second years had a wonderful time guarding the secret passages since none of the Death Eaters tried using them. Professor Flitwick and the House Ghosts kept them entertained with stories of past wars and incidents that they had experienced.

__

Some of the 3rd and 4th years were involved in the fight. Professors Sinestra, Sprout, and Trelawney took all of the students who weren’t helping Madame Pomfrey in the Hospital or Madame Pince in the Library to the top of the Astronomy Tower. Once the battle began they had most of the students transfigure the pebbles from the roof into larger stones and the remaining students floated the big stones over the Death Eaters and let them fall. Gravity being what it is this hail of stones caused almost as much damage as the sixth and seventh years did with their spells. Professor Sinestra used the activity as a learning experience and actually tested her Astronomy students on why the stones caused so much damage to the Death Eaters.

__****

You can imagine how many complaints were made about Sinestra testing them about the battle.

****__

The fifth years had to deal with a Giant. While there was always a fear that Voldemort would get the Giants involved no one really expected him to get any of them to any battle site since no Giants lived in Great Britain anymore. But Voldemort, or one of his agents, managed to talk this teen age Giant into coming to Britain and join in the fight. Evidently Voldemort apparated him to the area. Of course the Giant didn’t know how to attack a castle so he just tried to climb up the back wall. He punched his hands and feet into the stone of the wall in order to climb up the wall. Every time he moved a limb the castle wall would shake and loose stones would fall. One of those stones hit Percy Weasley and killed him. One of the Gryffindor 5th years remembered what the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw first years had done the previous year and he got all of the Gryffindors to use the Wingardium charm to lift the stone off of Percy. Meanwhile the Giant was continuing to climb the wall. The Ravenclaw prefect saw what the Gryffindors had done and got the brilliant idea on how to defeat the Giant. After talking it over with the other prefects, there are two from each house, years 5 through 7, each house found a place where they could see the Giant as he climbed. The Ravenclaws used a mass Wingardium on the Giant’s right hand which pulled it away from the wall. Then the Slytherins used the charm on the left hand. The Hufflepuffs took the right foot and the Gryffindors got the left foot. As soon as all four limbs were pulled away from the wall the Giant fell to the ground. After the third time the Giant just gave up and lay on the ground. The fifth years then used the Incarcerous spell to tie him to the ground and that’s how the Aurors found him when they finally arrived at Hogwarts. After capturing a Giant the fifth years were feeling overly enthusiastic so they proceeded to take on the few Death Eaters that hadn’t run away from their assigned positions when the Giant fell from the wall of the castle. The fifth years didn’t have much trouble catching those few since for the most part they just sat where they were at and didn’t even try to defend themselves. Of course one did resist and he managed to cut two of the Ravenclaws. The other Ravenclaws had no problem in capturing him and while they didn’t kill him they did beat him severely while they were tying him up; not that anyone admitted that fact.

__****

It turned out that he had been a seventh year Ravenclaw when these fifth years were first years and he hadn’t been the best friend they’d had in their House that year. Not all Death Eaters were Slytherins as most people wanted to believe. Granted most of the Death Eaters had been Slytherin, at least those who had attended Hogwarts, but there were Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and even a few Gryffindors in Voldemort‘s following.

****

“I wonder how tall a teen age Giant is. I wonder where the Giants live.”

“You’ll just have to ask Harry and Draco when they get here Sonnyboy.”

“I wonder if being obliviated hurts Dad.”

“Probably not Gus or if it does you won’t remember the pain.”

“I didn’t think of that, thanks Uncle Justin.”

“Justin go on with the story it sounds like we‘re getting to the end.”

_I expected that the biggest fight would be at the front of the castle which is why I assigned the sixth and seventh years to defend that part of the castle. I was right and I was also right in my view that Voldemort couldn’t really control them at this point in time because at least five minutes before the battle was supposed to start the Death Eaters started running into the grounds and throwing spells at the castle._

****

Only a fool thinks that spells, like they were using, would do any real damage to a castle. There are spells that would’ve damaged the castle but very few if any of the Death Eaters there that day were powerful enough to use them even if they’d known them.

****__

The Hogwarts student’s, under George and Fred Weasley‘s direction, had divided up into groups of four or five and had found places where they could see the grounds yet had protection from the Death Eaters‘ spells. It’s surprising how many balconies and other architectural structures a castle as old as Hogwarts has on it’s walls. While the spells the Death Eaters were hitting the walls with didn’t cause any real damage they did cause loose rocks and stones to fall down onto the students which caused cuts and bruises. Fred and George quickly told each group to have one student put a shielding charm above the group to protect them from the falling debris. The students then started attacking the Death Eaters from their protected location.

__****

Harry’s plan worked perfectly, those few spells that actually came close to the students were blocked by the defensive spells and the one offensive student in each group was able to concentrate on hitting a Death Eater on the ground. It’s simply easier to aim a spell if you don’t have to worry about protecting yourself from the enemy.

****__

It really was amusing to watch how quickly students were able to wipe out the feared Death Eaters. Voldemort just stood there getting more and more frustrated and angry. He really thought I would send students out into the open to face his ‘minions’. Of course if we’d actually known how weak the Death Eaters turned out to be that wouldn’t have been much more dangerous than what happened. I’ve wondered if Voldemort ever figured out that his harsh discipline of his followers had anything to do with the total rout his Death Eaters suffered that day.

__****

I don’t think he did and if he did he didn’t care because he still thought he was going to beat Harry.

****__

While the sixth and seventh years didn’t use the Death curse they did cause some deaths amongst the Death Eaters. A couple were killed by the rocks falling from the sky but most of the deaths happened because the old Death Eaters suffered heart attacks after being hit by relatively benign spells.

__****

By this time all of the Death Eaters would’ve apparated away if they could have done so. As it was they ran as far away from the castle as they could get. While they got far enough away that the sixth and seventh years couldn’t hit them with any more spells the cloud of falling stones just followed them. A very few had the sense or ability to put a shielding charm above themselves but most just kept getting hit by the stones until Professor Sinestra had her charges stop dropping the stones on a defeated foe.

****__

Once all of the Death Eaters ran away, or at least as far as they could run, Draco and I walked out to do battle with Voldemort. By this time I had no doubts that we would win, I mean I never really thought we would lose but now I was 100% sure we would win. No one thought the Death Eaters would be so easily defeated, and by students at that, so I knew that Draco and I would have no problem with Voldemort himself. My only problem was trying to decide how to kill the bastard. I didn’t really want to kill him any more but I knew that killing him was the only option. There was no way the Ministry could keep him captive and as long as he was alive he would cause trouble.

__****

My view was hit the bastard with the AK and be done with it but I knew Harry wasn’t going to use the killing curse though I have to admit I was surprised at how Harry finally solved the problem on how to kill Voldemort.

****__

As we were walking towards Voldemort he waved his wand and all of the tied up Death Eaters were free. Didn’t do any good since the sixth and seventh years had them tied up again in only a few seconds.

__****

I think Voldemort was beginning to understand that the battle was lost. But being Voldemort he had to try to bluff his way to victory. He truly thought that Harry was going to fall apart just because he threatened him.

****__

‘Well Harry Potter it has come down to just the two of us. Who is your little friend? I’ve heard the rumors but I didn’t believe them.’

__

‘You know who Draco is so don’t be so cute. Let’s get this nonsense over. Your Death Eaters are defeated do you wish to surrender?’

__

I had to ask even though I knew he wouldn’t and that even if he did it would cause more trouble than it would save.

__

‘Surrender, you must be drunk Harry Potter or has the love you get from young Malfoy besotted you?’

__

‘The love I get from Draco makes me more powerful than I would be without it.’

__

‘I see that Dumbledore has convinced you of his folly. Love has no power Harry Potter no matter what that old fool may have told you.’

__

‘We’ll see won’t we?’

__

With that I took Draco’s hand into mine and waited for Voldemort to attack.

__

‘I do have to admit that you two do make a lovely couple. Do you want to be buried in the same casket?’

__

With that comment he began his attack. Draco blocked every spell he threw at us and as every spell was blocked Voldemort got more frustrated.

__****

Love is powerful; Harry lent me some of his power through our joined hands. It was amazingly easy to block everything he sent at us even the AK.

****__

After about 15 minutes I decided it was time to end this duel.

__

‘Disarm him Draco.’

__

‘EXPELLIARMUS.”

__

Voldemort’s wand flew towards Draco who caught it with his wand hand and then passed it over to me.

__

‘I give you the chance to surrender again.’

__

‘You are even more foolish than I thought if you think I’m beaten.’

__

Of course I didn’t think he was beaten I knew that he could do wandless magic but I was reasonably sure that if he couldn’t get through Draco’s defenses with his wand he wouldn’t be able to do so without his wand.

__****

The AK he sent wandlessly was so feeble I could’ve stopped it by holding my hand in front of it. Well not really but it was very weak.

****__

‘Again I give you the chance to surrender.’

__

‘Never Harry Potter, you’ll just have to murder me. What will the Wizarding World think of their hero who kills unarmed captives?’

__

‘They’ll worship the ground he walks on you snake faced cretin.’

__

‘Now Draco don’t be silly, they won’t worship the ground I walk on but they will be glad that this monster is gone.’

__****

I knew what was going to be the next words out of his mouth before Harry said them.

****__

“Draco give him his wand back, no one will be able to say that I killed a wandless Wizard.’

__****

He gave me Voldemort’s wand and I sent it to the bastard.

****__

“For the fourth time I offer you the chance to surrender.’

__

‘Then for the fourth time I refuse. AVADA KEDAVRA

__****

This time Harry blocked the curse, non verbally I might add.

****__

I didn’t want to kill him but I knew that was the only real solution but I wasn’t going to use the killing curse. I had to figure out how to kill him but in such a way as to leave a body in order to prove to everyone that he truly was dead this time.

__

When he reclaimed a body the spell used for that magic used some blood forcibly taken from me. I could sense that part of me in him since we were so close together so it occurred to me what I had to do.

__

I simply disapparated him and then apparated him at the bottom of the lake. The lake is very deep and the pressure forced the air out of his lungs almost immediately and he drowned within a few seconds. As soon as I knew that he was dead I brought the body back.

__

Then all we had to do was heal our few wounds, tie up our captives and wait for the spell isolating Hogwarts from the rest of the world to end. We could’ve captured the remaining Death Eaters but I didn’t think it was worth the risk the students would’ve had to take. I wasn’t worried that many would get away since without Voldemort they really weren’t a danger.

__****

As it had turned out they weren’t much of a danger with Voldemort.

****__

Draco and I stood there, holding each other’s hand, and stared at Voldemort’s corpse. As soon as it was obvious that the battle was over the students of Hogwarts came to stand beside us.

__****

As amazing as the victory had been it was even more amazing how the students didn’t divide up by House they just stood as a mass group waiting for someone to tell them what to do.

****__

Two hours after Voldemort cast it the spell isolating the school failed and the Death Eaters began apparating away but Aurors and Order Members began apparating onto the grounds and most of the Death Eaters were captured since most were so frazzled by their defeat and Voldemort’s death that they didn’t apparate fast enough.

__****

The first person to apparate to Hogwarts was Molly Weasley and if Voldemort hadn’t been dead already he would’ve died as soon as she saw him. I’ve never seen anyone as angry as she was at that moment. Of course as soon as she found out about Percy she broke down in tears but as soon as she realized that Harry blamed himself for Percy’s death she immediately started trying to convince him that he wasn’t at fault.

****__

So the Voldemort War came to an end. The Ministry tried to take a lion’s share of the credit but most of the Aurors were honest enough to know that all they did was round up a vanquished foe that they had no part in vanquishing.

__

I try not to be bitter about it but sometimes I just can’t. Minister Fudge was thrown out of office at the next election and I can’t say that I was hurt by that.

__****

Harry could’ve been elected Minister if he hadn’t let it be known that he wasn’t interested in politics.

****__

Justin I feel much better for having written this letter. I hope I didn’t bore you too much.

__

“That story was amazing Dad it’s just too bad.”

__

“Too bad what, Sonnyboy?”

“Too bad that we’ll never remember it in a couple of weeks.”

“What do you mean Augustus Brian?”

“Dad who is my father?”

“What does that mean? Justin quit looking at me like I‘m an idiot.”

“Come on Dad you know what is going to happen when Harry and Draco come to visit you and Uncle Justin.”

“You figured that out?”

“Of course I figured it out; you are my father after all.”

“He’s got you there Brian. Of course Harry and Draco will have to obliviate us before they go back to Scotland. But we’ll just have to have the best time we can while they’re here even if we’ll never remember it.

“Well Sonnyboy it’s time you get on you way home so that your mothers don’t get worried. Don’t worry Gus as soon as Harry and Draco get here we’ll call you.”

“I wasn’t worried Dad. It’s too bad we won’t be able to remember about Harry and Draco and their adventures but then you’ve always told me that life isn’t fair. Good night Dad, good night Uncle Justin.”

“Gus is right Sunshine it’s too bad we won’t remember any of this story. But he’s also right that life isn’t fair.”

“Brian I think it’s time our manly shafts visit each other’s luscious tunnels.”

“Sunshine we really do have to make sure Harry removes that spell because if I hear anything more about manly shafts and luscious tunnels I’m going to be sick.”

EPILOGUE

“Harry I know we had to do it but I have to ask a question. Why did you make that sandbox disappear and where did you send it?”

“Justin took me aside the day after we got to Pittsburgh and told me that he and Brian knew that we would have to Obliviate them but that as a favor could I remove the sandbox since he’d wanted to get rid of it for years but Brian refused. This way Brian will never remember having the sandbox in the first place of course neither will Justin or Gus.”

“Harry Potter I recognise that grin, what did you do?”

“Well Draco Malfoy I did obliviate Brian, Justin, and Gus so that they will never remember anything about us or the Wizarding World. I removed any physical evidence of our existence or the sandbox. I even put a distraction spell on the sandbox’s former location so that no one will ask Brian and Justin about it. I sent the sandbox to The Burrow, Molly can always use more items to keep ‘the horde’ occupied. I know, I know Molly hates that I call her brood of grandchildren ‘the horde’ but how many of them are there now, especially when you add all of them that really aren‘t Weasley grandchildren? Plus it won’t be that long until there are great grandchildren. Before we know it Draco we‘ll be grandfathers as well.”

“Don’t remind of that fact; love of mine. Harry what else did you do?”

“While I obliviated the memories our Yank friends had of us I left a backdoor just in case.”  


“A what?”

“Well if either of us were ever to run into Brian and Justin in the future and happened to say ‘Potter Malfoy is the way’ then all of the memories would come back. Don‘t worry the spell will only work if you or I say the words.”

“Harry Potter does Hermione Weasley have any idea how devilish you are?”

Harry Potter smiled at Draco Malfoy with the patented ‘Sunshine Smile’.

 

 


	8. The Gus Chronicles(Grade-School Years)

OCTOBER 2012

 

RING RING RING RING

“Hello.”

“Brian, this is your mother.”

“How are you Mom?”

“I’m fine I’m just calling to invite you, Justin, Gus, and anyone else you want to bring, to a Halloween family get together 

this Saturday at the house.”

“OK Mom we'll be there, I’m sure that Gus'll be thrilled to meet his family. Would you like us to bring anything?”

“You can bring a dessert if you want but you don’t have to. We'll see you around 3 Saturday afternoon. I haven’t told anyone 

that I’ve been in touch with you, other than my sister, so it'll be somewhat of a surprise for Claire and her boys when they 

meet you here.”

“OK Mom see you then.”

“Good bye Brian.”

 

***

“Justin my Mom just called to invite us to a Halloween party this Saturday to meet Claire and her boys. We can bring a 

dessert if we want. I’ll call Gus and tell him and have him invite the Munchers.”

“Gus'll be very happy to meet his cousins. I wonder what would be considered a Halloween dessert?”

“I don’t think there really are Halloween desserts, just regular desserts given Halloween drag.”

“How about a couple of pumpkin pies, that's something I’ve never made by myself and I’m sure Gus would love to help me make a 

pie from scratch. Brian do you think it means anything that Gus likes cooking so much?”

Justin Craig Taylor, do you realize what that question implies?”

“What do you mean? Why're you trying to keep from grinning?”

“Are you implying something about Gus with that question? Do you really care if Gus is gay?”

“What're you talking about Brian? Of course I don‘t care if Gus is gay or straight, all I care is that he's happy. Why're 

you smiling like that?”

“Am I smiling Sunshine, don’t I always smile when I’m in the same room as you? How often do I catch you making a dumb 

comment? We both know that Gus likes cooking simply because it's something to do with you. If you wanted to go fishing 

every weekend then Gus would like fishing. I'm surprised that you would ask a question like that Sunshine. Everyone would 

expect me to ask a stupid question like that but no one would expect you to do so. Wait till I tell the ‘boys‘ that Sunshine 

asked a question without thinking about how it could be interpreted.”

“I didn’t mean it that way Brian. You won’t tell 'the boys’ will you? ‘The boys’ is getting to be somewhat stupid 

considering how old the bunch of you're getting to be. I meant did you think he was likely to take up cooking as a living.”

“No I don’t think Gus will become a professional chef. I doubt that Gus'll be gay since the odds are against it. Do you 

think we need to worry about talking to him about SEX? I wonder if he's started puberty yet, he's getting to that age. I'm 

not looking forward to talking to Sonnyboy about the birds and the bees whether gay birds or straight bees. Where has the 

time gone, wasn’t he just born yesterday? Has he asked you anything to give you any idea?”

“No he hasn’t and I've my doubts that he will since he's a very private boy in many ways.”

“Getting back to the original question, I‘m sure Gus'll help you make a pie and he'll love every minute of the experience. 

Gus just loves being around you no matter what the two of you are doing. I’m going to go call him now. I love you Sunshine, 

and it does make me happy when you make a goof to prove that you aren‘t perfect, after all we can‘t have two perfect men in 

our relationship.”

“Brian, you big lovable jerk, I’ll get even for that comment just wait and see.”

“I’ll be waiting, my little lovable twink.”

***

RING RING RING RING

“Hello.”

“Hi Sonnyboy, how're you doing?”

“I’m fine Dad, do you want to talk to Mom or Mama?”

“I’m calling you Sonnyboy, are you interested in going to a Kinney family get together Saturday?”

“No I don’t think so.”

“What?”

“Got you without even trying Dad.”

“Sonnyboy you're spending way too much time with Sunshine.”

“Dad you don’t believe that, there can never be too much time spent with Uncle Justin.”

“Do you want to go or not?”

“Of course I want to go, I want to meet my cousins and my aunt and anyone else that will be there.”

“OK come here after school Friday so that you can help Justin make a pumpkin pie from scratch. Ask your mothers if they want 

to come too.”

“Sounds great Dad. Baking a pie from scratch; that should be intense. I‘ll see you Friday then Dad.”

“Goodbye Sonnyboy.”

“Bye Dad.”

***

“Mama, Dad just called to ask me if I wanted to go to a Kinney family dinner this Saturday. He also said to tell you that 

you and Mom are invited as well. I’m going to go to Dad’s after school Friday so I can help Uncle Justin make a pumpkin pie 

from scratch. I’ll spend the night and you and Mom can join us there, Saturday, and we can go to Grandmom’s together.”

“Hold on there Gus. That all sounds great except that your Mom and I already have plans for Saturday night. Since you're 

going to Brian’s Friday then we'll be able to leave town Friday night instead of Saturday afternoon. We'll have to meet the 

Kinney family some other time. You go and have a great time and you can tell us all about it Sunday. Have you and Justin 

ever baked a pie from scratch before?”

“No but Uncle Justin is a great cook so we shouldn’t have any problems.”

“I know that Justin is a great cook but pies are much harder to make than most people think, the crust especially. I 

wouldn’t bake a pie again if you paid me. The first and only scratch pie I ever made, back in Home Economics class, was so 

bad that the memory still scares me to this day, that crust was absolutely horrid and I followed the recipe exactly. Why 

don’t you and I make some Halloween cookies Thursday night, your Mom and I'll drop them off at Brian’s on our way out of town 

Friday night, that way you will have a dessert to take Saturday if your pies aren’t as good as you hope.”

“OK Mama but Uncle Justin can make anything.”

“Have you ever tried his Leg of Lamb Gus? Even Justin admits to not being able to get lamb right.”

“Don’t worry Mama I want to bake cookies with you, and if we decorate one just right I might even be able to get Dad to eat 

it.”

“What do you mean decorate it just right?”

“Well it can’t look fattening in any possible way. I'll leave the biggest one without frosting, he'll notice that it has no 

frosting but won't notice that it's the biggest one. Has Dad always been so worried about gaining weight?”

“Yes Gus that was always one of Brian’s lesser faults. He would worry more about gaining an ounce than most men would worry 

about gaining 10 pounds. That's about the only one of his faults that Justin hasn’t been able to help him get rid of though. 

But don’t tell your Dad that I said he's improved himself in any way. I wouldn’t want him to think I’m getting soft in my 

old age.”

“Mama you aren’t old.”

“I know Gus it's just an expression. Go finish your homework. What am I talking about? Did you even have any homework to 

bring home?”

“Uncle Justin told me once that someday I would probably have some class that I would find hard, I’m still waiting though. 

I’ll go find something to do.”

***

“That was a lot of fun Justin, I hope they taste as good as they look.”

“Well Gus, you and I made them so of course they'll taste as good as they look. Once they cool down we can put the whip 

cream on top and then wrap them and put them in the refrigerator until tomorrow.”

“Aren’t you surprised I didn’t call you Uncle Justin?”

“No Gus I’ve been expecting it ever since you went from Mommy and Daddy to Mom and Dad. You're growing up, as much as your 

Dad doesn’t want you to. It wouldn’t hurt to call him Daddy once in awhile though, even when you have children of your own 

Brian will want to think of you as his little boy at least some of the time.”

“Justin I really would like to call you Papa.”

“Gus you know I’m not ready for that, don’t ask me why since I don’t have a good answer. I just know I’m not ready for that. 

Justin, or Uncle Justin; just know I love you and will do anything I can for you whenever you need it. Just one thing 

though, enjoy yourself tomorrow but don’t monopolize all of the conversations.”

“I’ll try Justin but you know I learned from the best and it's hard not to talk and fill in those awkward gaps.”

“Gussy you're smiling as you make fun of me aren’t you?”

“Yes Justin I’m smiling.”

“Hey guys, how did the pie baking go?”

“We've two beautiful, baked from scratch, pumpkin pies Dad. All we have to do it put the whip cream on them.”

“Good you left something for me to do then.”

“No.”

“What do you mean no, Sunshine?”

“Gus and I want them to be perfect so you can’t just slop a pile of whip cream on the pie and spread it out.”

“Sunshine you wound me, I can put whip cream on a pie in a decorative manner. I’m not the cooking cretin you think I am.”

“Brian your way of using whip cream isn’t all that culinary so just go get ready for supper.”

“What did that mean Justin?”

“Nothing Gus, I was just kidding around with your Dad.”

“Oh, I get it, well I’ll go get ready to eat as well. Dad we did make a skeleton pie for you though.”

***

“What the hell is a skeleton pie?”

“Just an empty crust covered with a cinnamon and sugar mixed with a little melted margarine to hold it together.”

“Does he really expect me to eat cinnamon and sugar covered pie crust?”

“No Brian he was pulling your leg, we had extra crust and he made it for himself, Gus knows you wouldn’t be caught dead 

eating something so full of empty calories.”

“He does, does he? This isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but one sliver is more than enough to prove a point.”

“Yes it is Brian but he won’t be happy to know that I won the bet.”

“When will I ever learn? Why do the two of you feel the need to get me to eat more than I want to eat.”

“We love you and don’t want to see you shrink away to skin and bones. No, I don’t think that is it; we just like pushing 

your buttons.”

“I’m not sure which of those is the bigger insult Sunshine?”

“Do you think he really knows what I meant about the whipped cream, Brian?”

“I doubt that he has any real idea, just that it had to do with the two of us outside of the kitchen.”

“I don’t know why I said it though. You know that I love how you use whip cream.”

“Of course I do Sunshine. But you have to admit that if I can decorate your body with whip cream I am capable of decorating 

a pumpkin pie with whip cream as well.”

“It isn’t the same and you know it Brian, I want to impress your family so the pies need to be perfect. When you spray whip 

cream on me it doesn’t matter how it looks since it doesn’t stay there long enough to be noticed plus the fact that only the 

two of us ever saw those decorations anyway.”

“Justin you don’t have to worry about impressing my family. Mom already thinks you're great, Claire'll be crying buckets as 

soon as she finds out about Gus and the boys were little monsters so I doubt that anyone will care if the whip cream isn’t 

perfect.”

“I know all of that but I still want the pies to be perfect. Call me petty but I really want to impress them Brian.”

“Petty don’t worry so much, the important Kinney already loves you and all of the others will be in love with you by the time 

we eat those pies.”

***

DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG

“Are you expecting anyone Justin?”

“No but we'll know soon enough since Gus is already on his way to the door. That boy can make more noise than a herd of 

elephants. But then what would we expect since he has feet the size of elephants.”

“Well you know what big feet means Sunshine?”

“Brian Kinney you know better than that old wives tale.”

“I don’t know Justin who has the bigger feet in our relationship?”

“Look you long footed Irishman you’ve never complained about my attributes even if I have short stubby feet.”

“Who said I was complaining?”

“Gus is pretty much perfect, how did we get so lucky with him?”

“Well Sunshine he's as much a Kinney-Taylor as he's a Peterson-Marcus.”

“That's supposed to explain it?”

“Yes, Justin it is. He's a Kinney-Taylor and he's pretty much a perfect son what don’t you see?”

“Brian have I told you lately that I love you?”

***

“Hey Sonnyboy who was at the door?”

“It was Mama, she brought the cookies we made last night.”

“Cookies, what cookies?”

“Mama and I made jack-o-lantern cookies just in case the pies didn’t turn out; Justin.”

“Justin?”

“Don’t worry about it Brian, Sonnyboy is growing up. Gus I’m wounded, you didn’t think I could bake a pie.”

“Justin we didn’t mean anything. Mama just felt that pies are harder than people think and she just thought that if we made 

cookies then we had a backup just in case. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

“Gus I’m just pulling your chain. The pies turned out fine but if they hadn’t then the cookies would have been a great 

backup. We will take the cookies and the pies tomorrow since we both know that your Dad would have a fit if we left either 

of them here to tempt him.”

“Sunshine, talk about wounding someone.”

“I’m not falling for it Brian.”

“He's figured me out Gus, I’ll give you a bit of advice Sonnyboy, avoid falling in love with a twink with a brain.”

“Huh?”

“I think the pies have had time enough to cool Gus, let’s go put the whip cream on them.”

***

“Brian, Gus are you ready to go yet?”

“I’ve been ready for hours Justin, Dad is the one who takes forever to get dressed. Why is that?”

“Do you want the long or short answer Gus?”

“I’m ready, I’m ready, lets get this show on the road. Did I really say that?”

“I can’t wait to meet my cousins, do you think they'll like me?”

“Of course they'll like you Gus, everyone likes you once they get to know you. But Gus the only thing I know about my 

nephews is that they're 6 or 7 years older than you so that'll affect how they deal with you. They'll like you that's a 

given but they won’t have that much in common with you. Don’t expect too much from them. You might want to take an umbrella 

though.”

“Why would I want to take an umbrella Dad?”

“If I know my sister she'll be crying buckets as soon as she figures out who you are.”

“You really think Daniel and Joshua'll like me Dad?”

“Yes Gus, they'll like you, I haven’t been in their lives for over 10 years but don’t worry about it they'll like you.”

“Gus why don’t you take the pies and cookies out to the car, we'll be there in a few minutes.”

“OK Justin.”

“What do you want to tell me Sunshine?”

“What do you mean Brian?”

“Obviously you sent Gus ahead so we could be alone, so what do you want to say?”

“Well just in case something is said today, you've been in your nephew’s lives.”

“What? Strange I don’t remember having anything to do with them.”

“Oh what the hell, I’ve been sending them Christmas and Birthday cards signed Uncle Brian for years. I knew it was something 

you would want to do if you actually thought about it.”

“Is that all?”

“Well I usually included some money or gift certificates in the card. I also sent gifts a few times.”

“Like what, just in case I’m thanked for something in particular?”

“I did tell them to keep it a secret when I first started sending them the cards. I think they enjoyed the idea of keeping a 

secret from their mother and Grandmom. I sent Daniel a case of condoms for his 18th birthday since I had reason to believe 

he needed them. Either he didn’t use them or they failed since he became a father not too long after that birthday. I still 

like the idea of you being a great Uncle.”

“Justin Craig Taylor you get way too much pleasure from that bit of information.”

“Yes I do. You do realize that before you know it we're going to be grandfathers.”

“I’m never going to be old enough to be a grandfather, well I suppose I’m never going to admit to being old enough to be a 

grandfather no matter how many children Gus produces.”

“Speaking of Gus, we probably better get going before he gets worried and comes back.”

***

 

“Hi Grandmom, where do you want me to put these pies and cookies we brought?”

“Pies and cookies, you didn’t need to bring so much.”

“We had to bring them Grandmom since we couldn’t leave anything in the house to tempt Dad.”

“Augustus Brian you're walking on thin ice.”

“I know Dad but you love it when I tease you, just not as much as you love it when Justin teases you.”

“That ice is starting to crack Sonnyboy.”

“Oh Dad you aren’t fooling anyone.”

“Pies or cookies would have been plenty, why both?”

“Well Joan, Gus and his Mama were betting that my pie baking might not work out as well as I hoped so the cookies were an 

insurance dessert. I haven’t tasted the pies so they might still be right about needing the cookies.”

“They certainly look perfect Justin. Gus just put them on the counter in the kitchen. I’ve got a roast and potatoes in the 

oven, Claire is bringing a green bean casserole, Daniel and his wife are bringing cabbage rolls while Joshua wouldn’t tell me 

what he's bringing. He said he wanted at least one item to be a surprise. We certainly will have plenty to eat.”

“Have you told my cousins anything about me Grandmom? I hope that they like me.”

“No Gus I haven’t said a word to any of them, I want it to be a surprise and don’t worry they'll more than like you. They 

have grown up into responsible young men, which was a surprise to me and to their mother.”

“How's my big sister doing? I really shouldn‘t have dropped her from my life but that's water under the bridge. Where are 

all of these old cliches coming from. Justin you have corrupted me.”

“Claire is Claire, she cries for any good reason and for any other reason as well. I thought she was going to drown little 

Jessica Marie the first time Julie let her hold the baby.”

 

***

 

“Well baby brother to what do we deserve the honor of your presence?”

“Claire I invited Brian so be nice. We're going to have a happy family reunion and if you can’t behave then you can go 

home.”

“Mom, I see my brother for the first time in over a decade I’m entitled to snark at him a little. Joshua is bringing in my 

casserole and the 5 loaves of bread he baked, each is a different type of bread. They look good but who knows how they'll 

taste? He's taking Adult Living at school and one of his projects was baking bread. He got an A so they probably will be 

good.”

“Where are Daniel, Julie, and the baby?”

“Running late like usual but they should be here soon.”

“Hi Grandmom, and it is you Uncle Brian. I remember you always drove a Jeep. Daniel just pulled up, they'll be here in a 

second.”

“Then I'll wait to introduce everyone at one time.”

“Well Brian how have you been?”

“I’ve been happy, something I never really expected. How've you been Claire?”

“Hey Grandmom whose Jeep is in the driveway?”

“Daniel bring your family into the living room.”

“Sure Mom, what's going on?”

“Claire, Daniel, Joshua, Julie I want you to meet Justin and Gus.”

“Uncle Brian it has been a lot of years but you still look the same.”

“I can’t say the same about you Daniel, you really have grown up since I saw you last, you too Joshua.”

“I have to say Uncle Brian that there's no doubt who Gus is, he couldn’t look more like you, except for that blond hair. I 

thought you were gay?”

“Yes Joshua I’m gay and Justin is my partner of over 10 years. Gus is our son and thus your cousin.”

“Joshua why don’t you and Gus go set up the dining room for supper, that'll give you a chance to get to know each other.”

“Sure Grandmom, come on Gus it's this way.”

***

“Claire I’m surprised.”

“Why Brian?”

“I introduce you to my gay partner and my son and you haven’t burst into tears yet.”

“Funny Brian, but give me time; I do have to digest this information. The tears'll come; have no doubt about that. Where 

did you get a son? You‘ve been gay much longer than that boy's been alive.”

“Since I was born gay that's very true. Do you remember Lindsay Peterson?”

“A blonde you dated in college, she was here at Daddy’s funeral wasn’t she?”

“Yes to both. She wanted to have a child and she wanted me to be the father so I provided some sperm and she was 

artificially inseminated. Gus was the result. I never expected to have much to do with him but from the instant I saw him, 

the morning he was born, I haven’t been able to imagine not having him in my life. I met Justin that same early morning and 

haven’t been able to get him out of my life since then.”

“Brian.”

“Don’t worry Sunshine you know what I mean. I never expected to love anyone and it took me almost a year to admit to myself 

that I loved this beautiful man. Then we had some problems, mostly due to my fear of love, but 10 years ago Gus made us 

realize what we really wanted. It's amazing to think that a 2-year-old knew how to get two stubborn men to admit to 

themselves what they wanted. While I had my reasons to stay away from you and Mom I shouldn’t have deprived you of knowing 

Gus. He's a wonderful boy and I've no doubt that none of you'll ever regret having him in your lives.”

“Claire at least try to control yourself, you don’t want Gus to think something's wrong with his aunt do you.”

“Mom you know I can’t help myself, I cry for no good reasons why wouldn’t I cry when I hear my asshole baby brother grow up 

right in front of my eyes. God Brian he has to be a wonderful young man if he has caused such changes in you.”

“While Gus's been a big part in making me somewhat human Justin had the most to do with it.”

“Daniel do you have anything to say?”

“Uncle Brian you put me on the spot. I’ve never been quick at thinking of what to say like Joshua is but I’m glad to see 

you. You’ve obviously have good taste in men.”

“Daniel Joseph Brunswick what the hell does that mean?”

“Mom don’t worry I’m not gay, doesn’t Jessica prove that. I had a gay roommate last year at Pitt and we talked a lot about 

what we found attractive in other people. Justin would be very high on Peter’s list of good looking guys.”

“I do at that Daniel but I often wonder what Sunshine sees in me so I question his taste in men.”

“Brian Shawn Kinney would you quit embarrassing me.”

“Probably on the day I die, you get quite the attractive shade of red when you're embarrassed. Daniel aren‘t you going to 

show your daughter to us. Justin gets a lot of fun out of me being a Great Uncle so I suppose I should at least get the 

enjoyment of meeting her.”

“That's no problem Uncle Brian I love showing Jessica to people. My wife Julia, over there, who prefers to be called Julie, 

comes from Nova Scotia, thinks that if she gave me half a chance I would show our daughter to every stranger on the street. 

Jessica Marie was born on May 17 so she's 5 months old and is my pride and joy. Julie bring her over here so Uncle Brian can 

see her.”

“Uncle Brian, you don’t mind do you? Here's your grandniece. Do you want to hold her?”

“Uncle Brian is fine with me Julie. I haven’t held a baby this small since Gus so I’m out of practice.”

“I’m not worried Uncle Brian, from the way Uncle Justin is watching he would catch her before she hit the ground if you 

actually dropped her.”

“She's a doll Julie. Daniel it looks like you brought a nice addition into the family. How did you two meet?”

“I was an exchange student here, for a year, and we met at the café where we both were working. We started dating and well 

we weren’t as careful as we thought we were being.”

“I swear Uncle Brian I was using the gift you sent me for my birthday but one must have failed. I can’t say that I’m unhappy 

about it considering how wonderful Jessica is.”

“What birthday present?”

“Oops don’t worry about that Grandmom. Julie why don’t we go see how Joshua and Gus are doing in the dining room. You can 

give Jessica to Mom whenever you get tired of holding her Uncle Brian.”

“Oh I think that Uncle Justin needs to hold his great niece for awhile.”

“Yes Brian that sounds good to me, I was wondering how long it would take you to make that connection.”

***

“Gus how old are you?”

“I’m 12, how old are you Joshua?”

“I’ll be 18 next month. I’m a senior at Sitting Bull High. Daniel is almost 20 and a sophomore at Pitt.”

“How old's the baby, I’ve never been around a baby before. All of the people in my parent’s circle are gay so there haven't 

been many children in the group over the years, right now I’m the only one.”

“Jessica's 5 months old and has been a godsend to Daniel, even before she was born she caused him to straighten up his act. 

He was living a wild life, which is why Jessica was conceived in the first place, but once he accepted the fact that he was 

going to be a father he became almost a different person. There's no doubt that he'll graduate from Pitt while that 

certainly wasn’t likely before then.”

“I barely remembered Uncle Brian, before tonight I hadn’t seen him in over 10 years and we never saw him much before that. 

He just didn’t want to do anymore with the family than he had to, which was why it was a surprise when he started sending me 

and Daniel cards at Christmas and on our birthdays about 5 years ago. But when I heard your name it really made the point 

that he and Grandmom weren’t close when you were born.”

“What do you mean?”

“If Uncle Brian and Grandmom had been getting along when you were born there's no way you would have a name like Gus. 

Grandmom was much more religious in the past and she insisted that her grandchildren have Biblical names. Heaven help anyone 

who would prefer to be called Josh instead of Joshua. I’m Joshua Mark Brunswick by the way and my brother is Daniel Joseph.”

“I’ve always been called Gus but my official birth certificate name is Augustus Brian Peterson-Marcus. The only time I’ve 

been called Augustus is when I’ve been in 3 name trouble.”

“I certainly know about 3 name trouble Augustus.”

“Gus is what I prefer Josh.”

“I’m sorry but I wouldn’t use Josh in front of Grandmom and you're stuck with Augustus, baby cousin. I’m finally not the 

youngest and I’m going to use the power that gives me. Don’t worry though I'll probably be the only one to use Augustus. 

Hey Daniel, you two get tired of old folks talk?”

“Joshua you haven’t been corrupting our young relative have you?”

“Julie I’m wounded; besides Daniel's the corruptor of the family.”

“You keep forgetting that I was the one who did the seducing. I wanted him much more than he wanted me at first. Of course 

maybe I picked the wrong Brunswick brother since Joshua you look much more like your Uncle than Daniel does and all I can say 

is he's one fine looking older man. Gus have I embarrassed you?”

“No I’m just trying not to laugh.”

“Why?”

“Don’t let Dad hear you call him an older man. He's so afraid of growing old and getting fat it's funny. The only person 

who dares say something like that to Dad is Justin. I don’t know if I’m going to get use to calling him Justin instead of 

Uncle Justin, it just doesn’t sound right to me.”

“Is he really that vain, he didn’t seem like it to me in the few minutes we talked?”

“Vain isn’t the word so much as fear, Daniel. He really fears aging. He's always been there for me, so has Justin but 

sometimes I think he regrets having me around since I represent the passage of time.”

“What's it like having gay fathers?”

“Joshua they're just my Dads I have nothing else to compare them to. I know that they love me with all of their beings and 

both would die for me in a heartbeat. As far as I can tell they lead a very boring suburban life, they almost never kiss in 

front of me and other than some strange sounds coming from their bedroom I've no idea what they do that makes them gay. I 

know that they love each other as much as is humanly possible. I love both of them and my mothers as well. I'm a very lucky 

boy; I have four parents that love me, a lot of my friends at school can’t say that.”

“Well guys we have everything set up all we have to do is bring the food from the kitchen and call in the old folks and young 

Uncle Brian.”

“Dad's going to adore you Julie.”

***

“This roast's perfect Joan, what is your secret? I’ve never had any luck with lamb of any kind.”

“No secret Justin; I just sear it before I put it in the roaster and I don’t put too much water in the pan. Roast lamb is 

the only cut of lamb that I’ve ever thought was worth the price over the equivalent cut of beef.”

“Julie these cabbage rolls are great as well. I would never thought of having them as a side dish though.”

“Thanks Uncle Justin, they're something we have back home all of the time. I guess that they were a way of having cabbage 

dressed up to be more desirable than just plain old boiled diced cabbage. Your pies look delicious.”

“Well I hope that they are, they're the first ones I ever made from scratch. I just hope that the crust's OK; I’m not really 

worried about the pumpkin though I don’t think I will ever bother with a raw pumpkin again. It has to be easier to just use 

a couple of cans of pumpkin pie filling. It took Gus and I a long time to get it properly prepared.”

“But Justin it gave us more time to talk about what's going on in our lives, I thought you liked doing that.”

“Of course I do Gus.”

“Well Gus why don’t you go cut the first pie and give everyone a piece of your masterpiece. Remember I only want a sliver.”

“Dad you have to eat more than a sliver or else you have to eat a cookie with the sliver.”

“Sonnyboy are you giving me an ultimatum?”

“I guess I am Dad, which will it be a full piece of pie or pie and cookie?”

“Cookie and pie, that way you can tell your Mama that I ate one of her cookies. But Gus give me the one you forgot to 

frost.”

“OK Dad. Everyone else want pie?”

“Justin you have nothing to worry about this pie, crust and all, is delicious.”

“Thanks Claire.”

***

“That was a wonderful meal Mom, I’ve not eaten so much in a long time.”

“You can say that again. That's my goal to get Brian to eat 3 full meals in a row. It hasn’t happened in over 10 years but 

I always have hope.”

“Justin I’m not that bad.”

“Yes Brian you are, a bagel's not a full meal. A cup of coffee with a pound of sugar is not a full meal.”

“Since this is a Halloween party, of sorts, why don’t we tell a story about something that really frightened us.”

“Thanks Daniel for getting me off of Justin’s Brian doesn’t eat enough obsession.”

“No problem Uncle Brian it looked like you wanted to change the conversation.”

“Just what I need, more allies for Brian.”

“Why don’t you start this adventure off Gus?”

“Sure Daniel.”

***

“Three or four years ago Dad picked me up from school, it wasn’t one of my normal weekends with Dad and Justin but something 

had come up and Mom and Mama asked him to get me and let me stay that weekend while they went out of town. We got to the 

house and Dad went ahead but I was right behind him though I had stopped to pick up a advertising circular from the mail box. 

I heard a loud noise and when I got into the house I found Dad lying on the floor of the foyer with Justin sucking at his 

throat.

“Uncle Justin what happened to Dad, why's he lying on the floor? Did he fall? Why're you sucking on his throat?”

“No Gus, Brian didn't fall I was just practicing my Dracula act for Halloween.”

“OK but can you let him up now so that I can close the door and keep the cold out?”

“Give me a second Gus to adjust my cape.”

“You aren’t wearing a cape Uncle Justin what're you talking about?”

“Part of the practicing, I’m pretending that I’m wearing a cape so I have to pretend to adjust it before I can get up.”

“Dad you're OK aren’t you? You're breathing very heavy.”

“I’m fine Sonnyboy, go ahead and take your books to your room. We'll close the door.”

“It was amazing how much Justin was acting like a vampire, he even left a mark on Dad’s neck. Hey Justin I just thought of 

something, if you were practicing to be a vampire how come your costume was of a Mummy?”

“The costume shop sent him the wrong costume and it was too late to change it when we noticed the mistake.”

“Justin are you OK?”

“What do you mean Joan?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone get so red so fast.”

“It’s nothing I blush when I get hot, I mean I turn red from overheating, I mean it’s warm in here and that causes me to turn 

red.”

“Now why're you crying Claire?’

“Oh Brian he's so cute. How did you get so lucky in love?”

“I don’t have a clue.”

***

“Daniel it's your turn.”

“OK Gus, last year at this time I got some information that scared me more than anything in my life. Julie told me that we 

were going to have a baby. I was 18 and a freshman in college and I was going to be a father. I was scared out of my wits. 

I certainly wasn’t a good student and I'd been quite the rowdy brat all of my life. All I could think of was how could this 

have happened, what did I do to deserve this punishment. But after a while of just thinking about myself I looked at Julie 

and realized that she was just as afraid as I was. Just like that I became an adult, I'd caused this situation by my 

behavior and it was up to me to make things right. I proposed right then and there. I knew without a doubt that it was the 

right thing for us and that we would be happy together. 

I immediately started buckling down on my schoolwork since I knew I had to be able to provide for my family once I 

graduated. While my father has been great about supporting Joshua and me, financially, I knew that I couldn’t count on him 

forever. Other than money he hasn’t been in our lives since he and Mom divorced; even during her unfortunate second 

marriage. Then this last May when Jessica was born I knew that I'd made the right decision. She's such a joy and Julie and 

I are so happy together. So while I was scared to death when Julie first told me it has turned out wonderfully.

“Joshua it's your turn.”

***

“When I think of something that scared me all I can think of was what happened at Grandpa’s funeral lunch. It wasn’t at 

Halloween but just the thought of it scares me. I don’t know why it had such an effect but even now my arm hair is standing 

on end. I guess it's so scary because I was so young since I was only 6 at the time. Uncle Brian I still get nightmares 

because of you telling Daniel and me that you had Grandpa’s head in that bowling ball bag. I know that you didn’t but for 

whatever reason it really affected me.”

“Joshua I’m sorry I certainly didn’t mean anything, I was just so, I don’t really know what I was feeling, and the two of you 

were so rambunctious and that was just the first thing that popped into my head.”

“Don’t worry about it Uncle Brian, I suppose I should ask a shrink why it affected me so much but then I really don’t care 

that much. It isn’t like I think about it every day.”

“Julie, your turn.”

***

“Mine is similar to Daniel’s in that it deals with finding out I was pregnant. I was so worried about what my parents would 

do and say. Fraser Halifax isn’t the most liberal man in Nova Scotia to say the least. I was pretty certain that he would 

disown me. That's part of the reason I took so long to tell Daniel about my condition. I really don’t know why I thought 

that they would take it so badly but I certainly did.

After I told Daniel and he told the family that we were getting married I had to tell someone my fears about my family and 

the obvious one was Grandmom. I expected her to condemn me for behaving immorally, after all I was the one who seduced 

Daniel, and to tell me to accept whatever punishment I received from my parents. I was so surprised when all she did was 

comfort me and to tell me that no matter what my parents did I was now a part of the Kinney family. That was such a comfort 

to me.”

“Well Julie I’m not quite the intolerant monster that Brian and Claire remember from their childhoods. It certainly would be 

hypocritical of me to condemn you for premarital sex and getting pregnant since you certainly weren’t the first in the family 

to do so. Daniel was conceived before his parents were married, Claire was conceived before her parents were married and my 

oldest brother was conceived before our parents were married. I found that last part out when I was helping Gus with his 

genealogy project last month. Mother always claimed that Joseph was an early birth; but a 10 pound baby at 6 months who did 

she think she was kidding?’

“After talking to Grandmom I finally got the courage to call my parents and give them the news. I expected shouts and tears 

but all I got was congratulations. Then they showed up here in Pittsburgh the next day. I really thought I was in trouble 

then. I don’t know why I ever doubted them because they were great that day and have been ever since.”

“Well your Dad scared the crap out of me. I thought for sure he was going to knock my head all the way to Nova Scotia but 

all he wanted to know was if I truly loved you and if I was going to take care of you and the baby to the best of my ability. 

Once I convinced him that I would he welcomed me to the Halifax family.”

OK Grandmom I guess it's your turn.”

***

“Well there have been many things that have scared me in my life. Most had nothing to do with Halloween. Halloween was 

never a holiday that we did much with since it really isn’t a religious holiday. I have to say that something that happened 

several weeks ago really scared me. What scared me was the realization of how poor a mother I was to my children. A few 

weeks ago a grandson that I didn’t even know existed showed up on my doorstep asking if I had a son named Brian. Later that 

night it sank in, my son had such a horrible childhood that he was afraid to let me know that he had fathered a child for 

fear of what I would do to that child. I was so happy when Gus called and let me know that Brian was willing to talk to me. 

I’m so glad that we've been able, at least, to be in the same room with each other. I’m delighted that Brian has allowed 

Justin and Gus to become part of our family despite everything I did wrong in the past. 

“Claire your turn.”

“I think that Jessica needs to be fed and put down for a nap. You'll excuse us everyone? Gus would you like to help?”

“Sure Julie, but I’ve never done anything with a baby before, so you'll have to tell me what to do. Dad how come I never got 

a younger sibling?”

“Gus the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania only allows one child for every four homosexuals so you filled the quota for the 

family.”

“Dad I know better than that. That wasn’t even an attempt at a good excuse.”

“Gus it just didn’t work out for you to have a younger brother or sister. You have an older sister in Molly. Maybe Daniel 

and Julie will let you be Jessica‘s big brother.”

“Would you two think about that?”

“Sure Gus every little girl needs a big brother to look out for her.”

“Come on Gus, I’ll show you how to changer her diaper.”

“Justin are you all right. You're as white as a sheet now?”

“I must have eaten too much Joan. Maybe I should go to the bathroom and splash some water on my face.”

“I’ll show you the way Sunshine.”

***

“Justin he didn’t mean anything, after all he doesn’t know anything.”

“I know Brian but it still hurts so much. Maybe you should think about having another child?”

“It's too late for that Justin. Besides he has a little sister now.”

“You go back to the others, I just want to sit for a while and get my composure back.”

“Justin we can go home when ever you want to go.”

“I’ll be OK Brian, go back before they start thinking that you are taking advantage of me in your childhood bedroom.”

“Sunshine!”

“Gotcha!”

“I think it's more likely that they will think you are taking advantage of me in my childhood bedroom.”

“You think they figured out what was going on in Gus’ story?”

“Not until you started blushing. Sunshine you can jump me in the foyer anytime you want, just make sure I’m alone first.”

“Brian.”

***

“What did I miss?”

“Nothing Brian we decided to wait, is Justin OK?”

“He’s fine; he's been overly worried about making a good impression on the family. I told him that the important Kinney 

already loves him but he still insists that he has to impress the rest of you.”

“Brian, you scamp.”

“Thanks Mom. While my guys are out of the room I think I‘ll tell my story, I really don‘t want either of them to hear it. 

It would hurt their view of the perfect Brian Kinney. You don‘t mind waiting, do you Claire?”

“Of course not Brian, this should be quite the story if you don’t want Gus and Justin to hear it.”

“I never intended to fall in love. I didn’t believe in love but while I didn’t admit it to myself for a very long time I 

fell in love with that beautiful young man the instant I saw him. I didn’t know that I had and I fought the idea tooth and 

nail for months. I finally admitted to myself that I could love Justin and that he really did love me and then the horror of 

his bashing pushed all of that back behind my internal walls. We had to start all over and since he didn’t and still doesn’t 

remember everything about that night it was a harder fight than the first time.”

“What bashing?”

“That's another story Daniel for another time but I want you all to swear to never say anything to Gus about it. We decided 

years ago that there was no reason for him to know about it and I don’t want him to know about it.”

“Sure Uncle Brian we won’t say anything, I don’t know anything but I won’t say anything.”

“Thanks Joshua.”

“Anyway I first met Justin the night, well the early morning that Gus was born. I just intended for it to be just another 

night of sex, I'd been doing that for years and I thought I was happy just tricking every night. Finding out that Gus had 

been born and going to see him at the hospital changed the way I looked at the world. Justin and I went back to the Loft and 

had sex all night long, he wore me out which never happened. I pushed him away but he wouldn’t listen and before I knew it I 

expected and wanted him in my life. I just wouldn’t admit it to him or myself. Then his father found out that he was gay 

and threw him out of the house. So Justin wound up living with me. I loved it and I hated it. I was use to living by 

myself and I had very set routines. Then I behaved like a complete idiot and almost lost him forever.

I don’t remember if it was before or after Halloween but I do remember that Jack-o-lanterns were still outside of people’s 

houses. I had left the Loft and Justin had gone to his sister’s birthday party and while the place was empty it was broken 

into and pretty much anything of value was stolen. I was so angry and guilty but being myself I let the anger cover up the 

guilt and I had to blame someone so I blamed Justin. He couldn’t remember if he'd set the alarm or not so I blamed him for 

letting thieves steal my possessions. The cops never caught them so obviously they were professionals and they might've 

gotten into the Loft even if the alarm was set. What I really feared was what would've happened if he had been home when 

they broke into the place. So instead of being an understanding friend I told him to take his stuff and get out. I thought 

that he would go to Gus’ mothers’ house for the night, or even to his parents. I really expected that he would come back to 

the Loft after I had time to cool down. Instead the little twink stole my credit card, booked a flight to New York and away 

he went.

Luckily his best friend had enough sense to tell me what he'd done. I of course denied that it was my problem while I was 

planning how to find him before anything happened. My friends decided that the best way to find Justin was to drive to New 

York and search the city. It would've been so much easier, and cheaper, if I had just flown on my own but then I wouldn’t 

have had the hours of him sitting on my lap and making out while Mikey drove the Jeep home.

I found him in a mid-price hotel when he used my credit card again. The little twink was hoping that I would come looking 

for him instead of sending the police. Then he played a card right out of the Brian Kinney deck, he seduced me. That was 

the beginning of the end, I knew that I wasn’t going to get him out of my life, he didn’t want that and I didn’t want that. 

I did manage to get him out of the Loft by making arrangements for him to live with Debbie Novotny. He was in my life but 

only on my terms, at least that is what I told myself.

Well Claire I guess it is your turn.”

“My story certainly isn’t as interesting as yours Brian. Hi Justin feeling better?”

“Yes thank you Claire. I’m sorry for having to leave like that. Did I miss anything?”

“No Sunshine, just my boring story about never being afraid of anything.”

“A story you didn’t want me to hear?”

“Claire why don’t you tell your story.”

“He really has tamed you Brian hasn’t he?”

***

“I remember the first time Brian stood up to Daddy. I have never been so afraid in my life; I really thought that he would 

kill Brian. Brian was 14 or so and had been invited to a Halloween party. Daddy came home just as Brian was getting ready 

to go and he objected to the costume Brian was wearing. He said something about no son of his wearing a fairy outfit where 

people could see it.”

“It was a gladiator costume, what was fairy about that I asked him, my answer was a slap across the face.”

“Slaps across the face were nothing new but it was new when Brian swung back. Why did you do that?”

“I finally had somewhere I could go it if got too bad. Mikey and I were best friends by then and I knew that I could always 

go over to his house and lick my wounds. I just decided that I wasn’t going to just take it any more. While he was still 

bigger than I was I knew that I was going to catch up soon.”

“He beat the crap out of you though.”

“Where was I? I don’t remember any of this.”

“I’m sure you were in Church Mom you were always in Church.” Claire answered her mother.

“No wonder you hated me so much Brian.”

“I didn’t go to the party, I would have had to say that I'd been in the gladiatorial ring to explain away the bruises I got. 

It was worth it though, in the future he only tried to hit me when he was really drunk and he was never as dangerous when he 

was drunk than when he was just in a bad mood.”

“Brian I should've done more to protect you, I was your big sister, but I was afraid that he would hit me too. I just did my 

regular routine and burst into tears.”

“I never expected anything from you Claire.”

“That in itself says a lot Brian.”

“I guess it does.”

“Putting a baby to bed is a lot more work than I thought Dad.”

“Most things turn out to be more work than we think they'll be Sonnyboy.”

“Well I guess it's my turn to tell a story.”

“Go ahead Sunshine.”

***

“I’m going to warn all of you that my story is horribly scary. It's the scariest thing I’ve seen in my life and I still have 

nightmares about it. I don’t know how I will get to sleep tonight after I tell it to all of you.”

“Justin quit being a Drama Princess.”

“Yes dear.”

“Justin Craig Taylor, just tell the story.”

“The first Halloween after we moved into our new house was in ‘04. Gus was four and really knew what Halloween meant for the 

first time in his life. He wanted to go trick-or-treating all by himself. Well of course that wasn’t going to happen in 

this universe but Brian did agree that we would get costumes to wear while we took Sonnyboy around the neighborhood. I 

could've been knocked over by a feather when he agreed to that little concession, but then he very seldom can say no to Gus. 

Gus knows this so I've no fear of telling it in front of him since he doesn’t take advantage of it very often.

Anyway Brian told me that he would take care of ordering the costumes and for me to not worry about that detail. My job was 

to decorate the house and yard. My mother and Deb agreed to man the candy bowl while we were out. The costumes were 

delivered on the 31st and the bags were clearly labeled Gus PM, Justin T, and Brian K. 

I want all of you to look at Brian and think what would be the perfect Halloween costume for him to wear.

Dracula, of course, is the obvious answer what with his height build, coloring, and hair. I could tell through the bag that 

his costume had a cape so I just figured that he was going to go as Dracula. I put the costume bags on our bed then I went 

and got Gus from his mothers.

When I got home I put Gus’ costume on him, I wondered how his costume fit with the Dracula theme. While I was dressing Gus I 

heard Brian come home and go into our room. I wondered why he started cussing but then Brian has been known to cuss for no 

reason. For such a sweet man he can have a very foul mouth.

My costume didn’t seem to fit with a Dracula theme either but a werewolf is a Halloween staple. I figured that maybe it was 

the only thing they had in my size.”

“Justin don’t tell them the rest, I'll never live it down.”

“Quit being the Drama Princess Brian, that's my job in the family.

So I‘m standing in Gus‘ room dressed as a werewolf, Gus is dressed as a lumberjack, play axe included. Brian is outside in 

the hall.

“Justin the god damn shop sent the wrong costume, I’m not going out in public in this monstrosity.”

“Brian it's too late to get anything else and you promised Gus that we would take him trick-or-treating. It can’t be that 

bad, I promise I won’t laugh. Gus you won’t laugh at Daddy will you?”

“Daddy I won’t laugh I promise.”

Then the most horribly frightening thing I have ever seen in my life walked into the room. Brian‘s costume had a cape all 

right but instead of a long black silk cape it was short, red and had an attached hat.

Believe it or not, and I still have problems believing it, there stood Brian Shawn Kinney dressed as Little Red Riding Hood.”


	9. The Gus Chronicles(Grade-School Years)

JULY 2014

Gus Peterson-Marcus had a problem, and as only a 13(almost 14) year old can do he'd made a molehill into a mountain. Somehow 

he had to tell his Dad the awful truth that he wasn’t what he expected him to be. He'd also put off telling his Dad to the 

last minute. 

As long as Gus could remember his parents had alternated hosting his birthday party. One year his mothers gave the party the 

next year his Dads hosted it. They also held the party on the first Saturday of August instead of on his actual birthday of 

September 8 so that it wouldn’t interfere with the start of the school year. On his actual birthday all five would have a 

family dinner at the home of the parents who didn’t host the party. He had to give his Dad the guest list by Monday so that 

the invitations could be sent out on time. His problem was that the guest list would point out what Gus just knew would 

cause his Dad to be very unhappy with him at the least or to hate him at the worst.

Gus had spent the last several weeks trying to figure out how to tell his Dad his disturbing news but had no success in 

coming up with a viable solution. Gus loved his Dad with all of his heart and hated to cause him pain. He'd finally decided 

to call a family meeting and ask if anyone could help him figure out how to tell his Dad his problem, hopefully with no 

bloodshed. And like the typical 13 year old he was he didn’t even consider the idea that they wouldn’t take him seriously 

after all he knew what he knew and it had to be true.

Now Gus wasn’t thinking of blood family since he had very little of that left alive. All of his blood grandparents were 

dead, his granddad Kinney had died before Gus’ first birthday so he had no memory of him, his grandmother Kinney had died in 

the last year still praying for everyone’s soul at every chance. She had accepted Gus into her life as soon as she had found 

out that he existed. His Peterson grandparents had died in a car crash 3 years earlier but they had never been a real part 

of his family anyway. He barely knew either of his blood aunts and one set of cousins were too old for him and the other too 

young. But he had a pseudo-family that had been there for him as long as he could remember. There were Mikey and Teddy, and 

his Aunty Em, who were friends of his Dads. 

Gus had once asked Aunty Em why he called him that since Gus had never seen Emmett dressed as a woman. Emmett had told him 

that it was a nickname that Gus’ mother, Lindsay, had given Emmett at a going away party he had once given for Mikey and it 

had stuck just, like Gus was going to be stuck with Gussy for the rest of his life no matter how much he disliked it. 

Then there was Daphne who was the best friend of his Uncle Justin. She was a photojournalist and since she was out of the 

country she wouldn’t be at the family meeting. Next were his grandma Jenn, Justin’s mother and Justin’s sister Molly, who Gus 

called Aunt Mollusk when he wanted to bug her. Of course he couldn’t forget Debbie, who was Mikey’s mother and, really, the 

mom of the whole group. The family meeting, as was traditional to the group, was going to be held at Mikey’s comic book 

store where there was a gaming room big enough for everyone to be present without too much crowding. So Gus was on his bike 

headed to the meeting still trying to figure out how to frame his problem so that the family would be able to help him.

Everyone was at the comic store when Gus arrived since he'd dawdled along the way as 13 year olds tend to do. They were all 

wondering what was up since it was the first time that Gussy had called a family meeting. The general consensus of the group 

was that it would be about the upcoming birthday bash but no one had any idea why Gus felt the need to call the family 

meeting. So when Gus finally arrived everyone was on pins and needles with anticipation to hear what he had to say. Gus 

moved to the front of the room, cleared his throat and asked for everyone’s attention. 

“I’m sure you are all wondering why I called this family meeting. But first I want you to all swear that you won’t say 

anything to Dad or Uncle Justin before I have time to break the news to Dad.” 

Mikey asked “Gus if you want to tell Brian something why can’t we talk to Justin?” 

“Mikey you know as well as I do that if you tell Uncle Justin something he'll tell Dad in 3 minutes flat.” 

Of course the whole group broke out in laughter at the remark since it was so true. 

“I need you guys to help me figure out the best way to tell Dad something so that he won’t hate me for the rest of his life.” 

 

After a sudden hush the group started talking at once. 

Mikey said “Gus what're you talking about?” 

Jenn chimed in with “Brian could never hate you” 

Deb just couldn’t keep from chuckling. 

Emmett and Ted just choked on their coffees and joined in with the general comments of non belief. 

Molly stated “Runt what've you been smoking?” 

Deb finally found her voice “Gus no matter what you've done Brian couldn’t hate you, he couldn’t even be unhappy with you for 

more than a minute.”

Eventually they quieted down and Gus was able to go on with his problem, even though he was almost in tears, “I figured out 

something about myself this summer and Dad's going to hate me or at the very best be very disappointed in who I am.” 

Again the group broke out in statements of disagreement. 

Finally Emmett said “Gus tell us exactly what you think'll cause Brian to hate you.” 

“I have always thought that I would grow up to be gay. My Dad is gay and my Mom is gay so we all assumed that I would be gay 

too. I kept expecting to find other boys attractive but it never happened. Other boys are just other boys. This summer 

though I kept having to cover myself up every time I saw a pretty girl at the swimming pool or at the park. OK, I like girls 

instead of boys, that makes me straight and Dad hates straight people so he's going to hate me as well.”

Everyone in the room was just flabbergasted; no one knew what to say. 

Jenn finally found her voice and in no uncertain terms told her grandson “Gus your Dad certainly doesn’t hate straight people 

and even if he did he could never hate you. Deb, Molly, and I are straight and he certainly doesn’t hate us. Why do you 

think he hates straight people?” 

“I’ve never heard him say anything good about straight people and he usually uses bad words whenever he says anything about 

straights. You three don’t count because you're family and women as well. But once he finds out that I like girls he's 

going to hate me. Why couldn‘t I be gay like we all expected?” 

“Gus quit thinking that, you are what you and you have to live with it. Your Dad won’t hate you and none of the rest of us 

hates you because you like girls. All Brian wants is for you to be happy. That's all any of us wants of you, for you to be 

happy.” 

“Grandma, Dad is going to hate me I just know it.” 

While the group continued to tell Gus that he was wrong in thinking that Brian would hate him they had no luck in convincing 

the youth. 

Finally Mikey said “Gus the only thing I can tell you, since you won’t believe us, is to go talk to Justin. Tell him that 

you want him to keep your secret until you talk to Brian and he might be able to give you an answer you can live with, but 

Brian'll never hate you even if you can’t believe me, that's the way it is.” 

“OK Mikey. Would you call him and ask him to meet me at the park down the street from their office building and to not say 

anything to Dad?” 

“Of course Gus but you have to believe me when I say that you're making a molehill into a mountain.”

As soon as Gus had left the comic store the gang started laughing hysterically. 

Finally Deb told the group “Brian has to learn to listen to what comes out of his mouth. That poor boy truly believes that 

his Dad's going to hate him for what he is just because Brian Kinney doesn’t have enough sense to mind what he says in front 

of the kid.” 

Everyone agreed with Deb and they all agreed that whoever found out what happened when Gus talked to Brian would let the 

others know the results of the conversation.

Mikey went to the phone and called Justin. “Justin this is Michael, Gus is on his way to the little park down the street 

from your building, he should be there in 15 or 20 minutes, he needs to talk to you and you have to promise me that you won’t 

say anything to Brian before you meet Gus.” 

“Michael what's going on?” 

“Just go meet him and try to help solve his problem, and remember that you were 13 once upon a time.” 

“What's that supposed to mean Michael?” 

“Just hear him out and solve his problem” 

“OK I’ll try, but why can’t I tell Brian?” 

“Because it has to do with Brian, and Gus doesn’t want him to know anything before he figures out how he wants to tell 

Brian.” 

“This sounds awful suspicious Michael. 

“I know but just go with the flow, you better be heading out, it would be better if you're at the park when he gets there.” 

“Bye Michael” 

“Good bye Justin”

Justin told his secretary that he would be out of the building for awhile and to cover for him in case anyone called. Justin 

then walked the block and a half to the park and sat down on the first bench he found. A few minutes later Gus pulled up on 

his bike and sat down beside his Uncle Justin. 

“Uncle Justin I have to ask you something important, of course Mikey probably told you that though.” 

“Gus I have to say that my curiosity is getting the better of me, what do you want to ask me?”

“Well you know that I have to give Dad my guest list by Monday so he can send out the invitations for my birthday party. The 

picture you drew for it this year is probably the best one ever.” 

“Yes I know that, we have been wondering why you haven’t given it to us before now, you have always been very punctual about 

such things in the past. It is a funny thing Gus; you say the same thing about the pictures I draw for your invitation every 

year.” 

“Well I have been putting it off because it will tell Dad something about me that is going to make him hate me. The pitures 

get better every year Uncle Justin.” 

Justin just stared at Gus for what seemed like forever to the youngster. 

“Uncle Justin aren’t you going to say anything?” 

“Gus, Gus, Gus how in the world could you think that anything you could do would make Brian hate you?” 

“Well all my life I can only remember Dad saying bad things about straight people and since I've decided that I like girls 

he's going to hate me.” 

Justin just stared at the boy again. Justin finally found his voice “Augustus Brian Peterson-Marcus listen to me, your Dad 

loves you, has always loved you, and will always love you. Straight, Gay, or Celibate he only wants what's best for you. 

Don’t you know that he says things without thinking about what the words mean? Yes he's had problems with straight people 

in the past but he's had problems with gay people as well, heck he's had problems with me. But no matter what you think his 

comments about straight people mean he doesn’t hate all straights and he certainly won’t be disappointed in you let alone 

hate you because you like girls.” 

While Gus was hearing what his Uncle Justin was saying the words simply weren’t able to get past his belief that his Dad was 

going to hate him for liking girls. 

“Uncle Justin he's going to hate me, I'll have to stay away from him for the rest of his life so that he won’t be physically 

sick at the sight of me.” 

“Gus stop this, he isn’t going to hate you, isn’t there anything I can say that'll convince you of this fact?” 

“Justee, I want to believe you but I just can’t, isn’t there something we can do to lessen the impact on Dad?”

Justin decided that there was nothing he could say to solve Gus’ problem so they were going to have to grab the bull by the 

horns and deal directly with Brian. 

“OK Gus we'll go find Brian and give him the list, we'll then deal with whatever happens, but I can guarantee that he isn’t 

going to hate you let alone get physically sick at the sight of you.”

So Gus got his bike and the two walked back to the Kinney-Taylor agency, Gus put his bike in Justin’s office and the two went 

to Brian’s office. Brian was glad to see his lover at any time and he loved to see his son also so when Cynthia buzzed him 

to tell him that they were there to see him he was just beaming when the two came into the room. Brian noticed that Gus was 

almost as tall as Justin, and he thought where has the time gone, it was only yesterday that these two came into my life on 

the same night. 

“Well guys what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” 

“Gus has the party guest list for you to look at Brian.” 

“Finally, what took so long this year Sonnyboy?” 

“Well Dad I changed who I want to invite now that I’m going to be 14 and I’m afraid you aren’t going to like the changes in 

me.” 

Brian noticed the strange implication in his son’s words but didn’t say anything about it. “OK let me look at it.” 

Gus gave the list to his Dad and then prepared himself for the explosion that he knew was going to come in the next few 

moments. 

Brian looked at the list and then asked “Gus what're you up to?” 

Gus almost broke out in tears and Justin looked astonished as well at Brian’s words. 

“Well Dad I knew you wouldn’t be happy but I just have to be true to myself, just like you and Uncle Justin have always 

taught me.” 

“What're you talking about Gus, I just want to know why there are only 19 names on this list we've had 30 kids at your 

birthday parties for the last 5 or 6 years.?” 

Gus just stared at his Dad he just couldn’t believe that he'd missed what the names meant about his son. 

Justin then said to Brian “read the names out loud and see if you see anything about them.”

Brian looked at the love of his life and started reading the list “Rick James, Sara Smithson, Andy Bent, Helena Richardson, 

Stephen Irving, Stephanie Boyer, Jonas Lewson, Maria Consuela, Gus is there something about these kids that I should know, 

why would I be unhappy about this list?” 

“Dad don’t you see, I want to have a boy-girl party, I’m straight, and you hate straight people.” 

Brian was speechless, what had he ever done or said to make the light of his life think that he could hate him simply because 

of who he liked.

“Gus I don’t hate all straight people and I certainly could never hate you, especially not for who you like. You remember 

the story about Justin’s Dad don’t you?” Brian looked at his lover to make sure that Justin knew that he didn’t want to open 

old wounds. “He hasn’t spoken to Justin since before you turned one simply because he can’t accept that Justin loves me. 

There's no way that Justin or I could ever inflict pain, like Justin has suffered because of his Dad, on you. We love you no 

matter what, and who you are simply would never enter into how we feel about you. Gussy you have to believe me, I couldn’t be 

happier for you, straight or gay it doesn’t matter you are my son.” 

Gus looked at his Dad’s horror stricken face and it finally sank in, it didn’t matter who he liked his family would love him 

no matter what. So Gus grabbed his Uncle Justin by the hand and pulled him along as he ran to his Dad and the three of them 

hugged each other so hard they almost left bruises. When they finally let go of one another Gus was as happy as he could 

ever remember being and his Dads were somewhat flushed, not that Gus noticed. 

“Everyone told me that you wouldn’t care, why couldn’t I believe them?” 

“Well Gus it probably is because you're 13 years old and that's part of being 13 believing what you believe with all of your 

heart.” Justin replied to his son. 

“I’m almost 14.” 

His Dads just beamed at their son and then grinned at each other.


	10. The Gus Chronicles(Grade-School Years)

May 2015

The Lunch Room of Crazy Horse Junior High School, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

“God damn it to hell.”

“Gus what's the matter? Why did you cuss? You don’t talk like that.”

“I’m trying to be more like my Dad. Sure I look like him but I want to act like him too. I figure that I’m not gay so I 

won’t fall in love with someone like Uncle Justin but I can cuss like Dad does.”

“Well quit it, it doesn’t suit you. Your Dad wouldn‘t want you to act like him he wants you to be yourself.”

“Lance shut the fuck up. What do you know about what my Dad wants, you've hardly ever said two words to him?”

“It still doesn’t suit you Gus, give it up before you look foolish. You have an image to maintain and it doesn’t include 

cussing for cussing’s sake. What happened that started this bout of cussing in the first place? I haven't said much to your 

Dads but I've heard them talk about you over the years.”

“Look at this new High School attendance map. It‘s a fucking disaster.”

“What about it? I told you that this cussing doesn‘t suit you at all.”

“They changed the boundaries, my mothers’ house is now in the Sitting Bull attendance zone instead of the Chief Joseph zone. 

I want to go to Chief Joseph with you and all of our friends. I want to be a Fighting Appaloosa not a Buffalo. Then down at 

the bottom it says no exceptions made for any reason.”

“Well your Dad’s house is still in the Chief Joseph zone, just move in with your dads and then you can go to CJHS.”

“Like that's going to happen. I’ve got to think of a plan so that Mom and Mama will let me move in with Dad and Uncle 

Justin. They‘ve never understood why I like sports so much and the fact that I‘ve always planned on going to Chief Joseph 

won‘t be a good enough reason for them to let me move in with Dad and Uncle Justin. Maybe I should tell them I‘ve changed my 

mind and I really am gay and I need to live with Dad and Uncle Justin‘s so that they can teach me to become the best possible 

gay man I can. Or maybe I should tell them I‘m tired of being kidded for living with two lesbians. Maybe I should tell them 

I‘m sick of being called a faggot because my parents are a queer and a dyke and I want to live with you.”

“Gus be very careful about this. Your mothers won’t like being played and you know as well as I do that your dads won’t go 

along with anything if your mothers don’t agree. Besides none of them will believe that you changed your mind about being 

straight. They also know that you wouldn‘t let being called names affect you enough to want to move from one house to the 

other one. My mother would have a stroke if I asked if you could move in with us and then we would both have to find a place 

to live. Sometimes I really think that she thinks that you sexually attack anyone and everyone you meet simply because your 

Dads are gay.”

“You’re right, Lance, the four of them always work together. You would think they would be like other parents and disagree 

once in a while. I mean disagree about me; I know that they disagree with each other but never when it concerns me. I'll 

just have to come up with the perfect plan. I’m going to go to Chief Joseph High, I just have to figure out how to 

accomplish my goal.”

“Be happy for what you have Gus. Four people wanting what is best for you is a very good situation. Don‘t risk that 

situation just so you can go to one High School instead of another.”

“I know that I have a great family but it can be so pain in the assish at times. Dad won’t kiss Uncle Justin in front of me 

because he's afraid of what people will think. Hell he won’t even hold hands with Uncle Justin if he thinks I can see them 

doing it. Like I don’t know what they do when I’m not there or after I go to bed when I spend the night at their place. 

They aren’t nearly as quiet as they think they are. Some nights they probably wake everyone in the neighborhood up. 'Oh 

Brian oh Brian', 'Sunshine you stud', 'Oh, oh, oh my god'. I wonder if everyone says things like that while they're having 

sex.”

“What do they do?”

“I don’t know for sure and I don’t want to know for sure but I can make some pretty good guesses and I think that a lot of 

people would be surprised to know that Uncle Justin isn’t the passive partner in the relationship all of the time. Mikey in 

particular would be horrified to find out that his 'bestest friend in the entire world' isn‘t always in charge.”

“What does that mean? My mother would be so horrified if she knew we were having this conversation. Hell she's still 

horrified that you and I are friends.”

“Think about it Lance; passive and active. Remember our sex education class from last semester and then put two guys 

together instead of a man and a woman.”

“You mean your little Uncle Justin gets on top. How does that work, forget it I don’t want to know.”

“Yes and I think my Dad really likes it when he does because he's a lot louder those nights than when he's the active one. 

Uncle Justin isn‘t so little either if you get my drift.”

“Gus I don’t think I want to think about that. How do you know that?”

“Me either but sometimes you have no choice in what you think about especially when they get so loud that it wakes you up 

from a deep sleep. You know I’m pretty sure that if I were to say something about their activity that my Dad would blush 

redder than Uncle Justin does. That would be interesting though considering how red Uncle Justin can get. I‘ve seen both 

of them at the swimming pool when they were changing into their swimsuits. Dad and Uncle Justin are pretty much a match in 

size.”

“I really didn’t need to know that Gus. Let’s get our food and then talk about your plan before lunch is over and we have to 

go to class.”

“Lance, do you think the food will be better at Chief Joseph?”

“I sure hope that it can’t be worse.”

***

“Mom will you and Mama be home later? I need to talk to both of you?”

“Yes Gus we'll be here. What do you need to talk about?”

“School, I’ll see you later then. Lance and I are going to the mall to look for dancing shoes.”

“What does that mean young man?”

“Footwear that you wear when you're dancing.”

“Gus you're spending too much time with your Dad.”

“You don’t mean that do you Mom?”

“No Gus, I was just pulling your chain. Why would you be looking for dancing shoes?” 

“Lance and I asked Marie and Johanna to go with us to the End of School Dance tomorrow night.”

“Oh Gussy that's so sweet. Why haven‘t you said anything sooner?”

“Mom. I‘m growing up I don‘t have to tell you everything I do.”

“Don’t worry Gus I won’t embarrass you in front of anyone. Yes you have to tell me everything you do.”

“Mom, you’re kidding aren’t you?”

“Yes I’m kidding about knowing everything. But it's sweet that you are going on your first dance date.”

“Well it isn’t a real date. Kinneys don’t do dates.”

“Augustus Brian, you know better than to listen to your Dad when he says something like that.”

“Actually Uncle Justin said it when I told them that I was going to ask Johanna to the dance.”

“What?”

“Got cha Mom.”

“Get out of here you little scamp.”

“See; you listen to Uncle Justin too. It's so funny when he calls me little scamp and he has to look up at me to do it.”

***

“Gus why're we at the mall?”

“I told my Mom that we were going to look for dancing shoes. So we have to look for dancing shoes. We don’t have to buy any 

but we do have to look at them.”

“You know Gus, as confusing as that was I know what you're talking about. We've been friends too long.”

“Geez Lance you almost have as big a smile as Uncle Justin.”

“Thanks for the compliment. My mother would be horrified that I think being compared to a Boy Toy is a compliment.”

“Uncle Justin isn’t a Boy Toy. She still thinks that he's a Boy Toy? Uncle Justin is the twink that wouldn’t go away.”

“Why do I even try to be funny around you Gus? What's a twink?”

“I don’t know for sure but Mikey still calls Uncle Justin that anytime he's upset with anything in his life. I sometimes 

think that Mikey is jealous of Uncle Justin for some reason. Like Dad ever thought of Mikey in that way. Lance are you 

looking forward to this dance? I plan on having a good time. Johanna is the prettiest girl at Crazy Horse.”

“Not really Gus, I don’t know what I’m going to say to Marie. I certainly don’t know how to dance. I sure hope she doesn‘t 

expect me to kiss her.”

“You’ll do fine, we’ll stay close together and can back each other up. There's nothing to kissing. I’ve seen all of my 

parents kissing enough to know that much. I’m kind of looking forward to trying it. Though Dad still tries to hide his 

kissing Uncle Justin from me.”

“Have you ever figured out why he doesn’t want you to see them kissing?“

“I once heard Uncle Justin tell Mama that Dad is afraid that people'll think he's trying to convert me. That's so stupid, 

how can people think of things that idiotic”

“Gus do you ever think about having sex?”

“Only every time I jack off.”

“Jack off; what's that?”

“You don’t know what jacking off is? How can you be 14 years old and not know that? Forget I said that Lance I wasn’t 

thinking. Your mother certainly wouldn‘t have told you about it and you don‘t have a father or brother to tell you about the 

birds and the bees. My Dad told me about sex and I‘ve never seen him so embarrassed as he was while he was talking to me 

about penises and vaginas and safe sexual acts. I really didn‘t know what the hell he was talking about and I certainly 

didn‘t want to risk him having a heart attack so I didn‘t ask any questions. I asked Aunty Em and he took me to talk with a 

professor of health and human sexuality. That's how I learned about masturbation.”

“Don’t keep it a big secret Gus. What's jacking off?”

“Masturbation is stimulating your erection until you ejaculate.”

“In English Gus in English so I know what you're talking about.”

“You rub your dick until it gets hard and then keep rubbing it until you shoot your load.”

“I’ve done that I just didn’t know what it was called. Do you think your Dad would tell me about the birds and bees, since 

my mother never will and I certainly can’t ask my minister.”

“Dad wouldn’t be a good choice; if he can’t talk about it in front of me, his Sonnyboy, I don’t think he would be able to 

breathe if he tried to tell you. Uncle Justin might be a good choice but I think we probably should get Aunty Em’s professor 

friend to talk to you.”

“Gus you still didn’t tell me about your thinking about having sex.”

“Well Lance I think about what it will be like to have sex when I’m jacking off but I know that I’m going to be just like my 

Dad and save myself until I find my true love.”

“What?”

“Dad didn’t do anything until he met and fell in love with Uncle Justin. I intend to do the same thing. I'll be a virgin 

until I meet and fall in love with my true love. Of course we'll wait until the proper time once we do meet. You don’t want 

to rush into anything until you're perfectly sure it is the right person.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“Well if it was good enough for Brian Kinney it's good enough for me.”

***

“Hi Gus, did you find any new shoes for the dance?”

“Hi Mom, I didn’t see anything that would work better than what I’ve already got. I certainly don’t see the sense in buying 

more shoes just to be buying more shoes.”

“Gus don’t ever say anything like that to your Dad, you’ll give him a heart attack.”

“Huh?”

“You know that shopping is your Dad’s favorite pastime don’t you?

“I don’t mind shopping I just don’t see any sense in buying something you don’t need.”

“I think your Dad would say what sense does it make to shop if you don’t buy anything.”

“That does sound like him but I’m more like Uncle Justin who sees no sense in buying stuff just to be buying stuff. But you 

do have to admit that Dad has very good taste in what he buys. Where's Mama?”

“She's in our room changing out of her court clothes. What do you want to have for supper?”

“Lance and I ate at the mall so I don’t need a full meal. Aren’t you glad I take after Dad in my eating habits? I'd eat you 

out of house and home if I ate like Uncle Justin. How does he stay so thin considering how much he can eat? It's amazing 

that he can eat more than Dad and me together and never gains any weight.”

“I don’t know Gus, he's eaten like that ever since I’ve known him. He either has a huge tapeworm or a metabolism that 

doesn’t quit.”

“That’s gross Mom. Hi Mama, how was your day in court?”

“Hi Gus, I won my case. I hear you want to talk to us about some school situation.”

“Yes I do and I want you to hear me out before you say no.”

“I don’t like the sound of that young man.”

“It isn’t anything bad Mom but I need to move in with Dad and Uncle Justin sometime this summer.”

“What?”

“The Pittsburgh Public Schools have changed the attendance zones for the High Schools and this house is no longer in the 

Chief Joseph zone and I don’t want to go to Sitting Bull High. I want to go to Chief Joseph with Lance and my other friends. 

Dad’s house is still in the Chief Joseph zone so if I start living there I can go to Chief Joseph and play football for the 

Fighting Appaloosas just like I’ve been planning for years. My moving has nothing to do with you two or Dad and Uncle Justin 

for that matter. This is the only way I can go to the High School I want to attend.”

“Gus we're going to have to think about this. You can’t expect us to say yes or no without talking to each other and to your 

Dads.”

“I know that Mom and I haven’t said anything to Dad or Uncle Justin yet. I'll go along with whatever you decide but I really 

want to go to Chief Joseph.”

“Gus we'll meet with Brian and Justin tomorrow while you're at your dance. Mel I found out today that Gus is going on his 

first date?”

“Mom I told you it isn’t a date. Lance and I are just going to a dance with two of our female classmates.”

“Gus that's so cute and so Kinney.”

“Mama do you have to pick on Dad even when he hasn’t done anything. Well he did buy me an outfit to wear at my first dance. 

You should have seen how Uncle Justin rolled his eyes when Dad gave me the clothes.”

“I can imagine, I thought Brian was getting better about buying you clothes every five minutes.”

“Well he said this was a special occasion and that I needed to be dressed hot to impress my companion. That's when Uncle 

Justin just rolled his eyes and grimaced. I bet they had some hot sex after I left.”

“Gus, what does that mean?”

“It means that I know more about their private life than they think I do. Dad really thinks that I don’t know that they 

kiss.”

“Brian and Justin kissing, did you know that happens Mel?”

“It's a surprise to me Linds.”

“Ha ha, you two should grow up. I’m going to my room. I’m going to go to Dad’s in the morning to help Uncle Justin with the 

garden. Uncle Justin said that they would take us to the Dance and I’m sure that Dad is planning on taking plenty of 

pictures. I’ll tell them to come by here after they let us off at the school so the four of you can talk about me moving in 

with them this summer. Mom why would Dad tell me that I shouldn’t wear any underwear tomorrow night?”

“He said what?”

“He said I shouldn’t wear any shorts under my new pants because they would disrupt the flow of the material, then Uncle 

Justin smacked him upside of the head and started giggling like a I don‘t know what.”

“Gus you do what feels comfortable to you. Ask your Dad if you really want to know, I’ll bet he turns two shades of red and 

doesn’t give you an answer.”

“Mama what's that supposed to mean?”

“I think that Brian's finally admitting to himself that you are growing up. You have wanted to grow up too fast all of your 

life and Brian never liked the idea of you getting older. He's finally giving in to fate and is going to let you grow up but 

don’t let him push you any faster than you want to go. Besides before we know it you're going to be getting married and 

making us grandparents.”

“Don’t worry about that happening any time soon Mama. I’m going to wait for my true love no matter how long that takes. If 

Dad could wait until he was almost 30 then I certainly can wait as long as necessary. Good night, I‘ll see you tomorrow 

after the dance in case I leave in the morning before you get up.”

“Lindsay what did he mean about Brian waiting until he was 30?”

“For some reason Gus believes that Brian was as pure as the driven snow until he met and fell in love with Justin.”

“Where did he get that idea?”

“I have no idea Mel and neither does Gus. The day he finally admits the truth to himself about that is going to be a rocky 

point in our son’s life. He idolizes Brian so when he has to admit that Brian was anything but a virgin, before Justin, is 

going to be hard on him.”

“Does Brian know that Gus thinks he was a virgin until he met Justin?”

“I doubt it though Justin probably knows.”

“Lindsay what do you think about this moving in with them idea?”

“I don’t know it came as a complete surprise. I never thought Gus was unhappy about his life. There has to be more to this 

than he is telling us. He has to be running one of his plans to keep us from hurting. Something has to be happening and he 

doesn’t want us to know because it would hurt our feelings or something. Maybe Brian or Justin will know what he's up to. 

Gus does open up more with them, especially Justin, than he does with us. Maybe he thinks he needs more of a male influence 

in his life.”

“Well we'll be better off if we don’t let it upset us. We have to remember that we're the adults and that we know what's 

best for our son even if it isn‘t what he wants.”

“By the same token then, Mel, we have to let him move in with the guys if that is what's best for Gus. Of course Brian and 

Justin may not want him to move in with him. It would disrupt their sex life if Brian is still worried about Gus seeing them 

kissing.”

“Brian will have his Sonnyboy moved faster than Captain Astro moved in with Galaxy Lad if we give him the ok. I would have 

never believed that Brian Kinney would ever become a monogamous family man if you had asked me 15 years ago. It's too bad 

that whatever Justin did to tame the King of Liberty Avenue can’t be bottled and sold on the open market.”

“What always surprised me is how happy Brian is that Justin tamed him. Gus couldn’t have had two better Dads than Brian and 

Justin.”

“As much as it hurts me to say so I have to agree. Actually it doesn’t really hurt anymore to say nice things about Brian. 

Who would have ever thought that would ever happen.”

***

“Good morning Uncle Justin, are you ready to work in the garden?”

“Sure Gus, just let me get my work gloves.”

“Why doesn’t Dad ever help with the garden?”

“It just isn’t something he enjoys doing. There're other chores around the house that he does that I don’t enjoy doing so it 

works out in the long run. Well Gus are you ready for the big dance tonight?”

“Yes and no Uncle Justin. It should be a lot of fun but then I worry that I won’t know what I’m doing and will make a fool 

of myself.”

“Just have fun and don’t worry about what you look like. Johanna is a pretty girl and more importantly a smart girl so just 

go and have a good time. My only request is that you don’t do anything stupid. You're only 14 so be careful. I certainly 

don’t want to have to deal with any kind of hangover tomorrow morning or a baby in 9 months.”

“UNCLE JUSTIN!”

“Gus I know what it's like to be 14 and I know that you're physically capable of fathering children.”

“UNCLE JUSTIN!”

“I know that this is embarrassing Gus but you know that I want the very best for you and being a father at 15 wouldn’t be 

good for you. Momentary pleasure, and believe me it'd be momentary, won‘t be enough if it results in a baby.”

“UNCLE JUSTIN!”

“Gus no matter what your Dad says wear underwear tonight and keep your dick in them. Hell wear two pair of shorts under 

those overly tight pants he bought you.”

“UNCLE JUSTIN!”

“Why're you yelling at me Gus?”

“Because you're embarrassing the hell out of me. I have no intentions of having sex tonight. Even if I did I know enough to 

use a condom. Uncle Justin this is my first date why would you think I would have sex on the very first date of my life?”

“Better that I embarrass you than you have a baby in nine months. Actually Gus I've no idea why I was saying what I said. I 

guess I’m more upset about you growing up than I ever thought I would be. I know that you aren’t planning to do anything 

tonight. I just don’t want anything to happen because of the moment. Johanna is a pretty girl and you're going on your 

first date and your hormones are raging and I’m doing it again. I’ll shut up before you explode. I’m sorry for embarrassing 

you Gus but you know I love you with all of my heart.”

“That’s ok Uncle Justin it was just a surprise that you would say anything like that. Not that I expect Dad to say anything 

since he still thinks I’m a baby and would be upset if I saw him kiss you. You two kissing has never bothered me in fact I 

love seeing how happy the two of you are when you kiss each other.”

“You little scamp; your Dad doesn’t think you're a baby, though he probably wishes that you were still that young. Why do 

you think your Dad told you not to wear any shorts under those pants he bought for you to wear tonight?”

“I don’t know. I asked Mom and Mama and they told me to ask him.”

“He knows how grown up you're becoming and he wants you to emphasize your Kinney attributes.”

“Huh?”

“Think about it Gus, if you don’t wear any shorts under those tight wool-crepe pants what's everyone going to see?”

“That's gross, why would anyone want to see my dick through my pants?”

“That answer makes me feel better anyway. Actually Gus I don’t think he really wants you to do it but he felt the need to 

point it out to let you know that he's ready to let you grow up.”

“That didn’t answer the question though. Why would anyone want to see my dick? Uncle Justin why're you getting so red?”

“I’m getting red because I don’t know how to answer your question and I shouldn’t have brought it up in the first place. 

I’ll tell you if you really want to know.”

“That's ok Uncle Justin I suppose I can guess but it 's still gross. Shit is that why Dad doesn’t wear underwear most of the 

time? Uncle Justin I didn’t know that you could get that red. Uncle Justin breathe before you pass out.”

“Gus why've you started cussing so much?”

“I’m trying to be more like Dad.”

“Well stop cussing it doesn’t suit you. To answer your question, your Dad likes shopping for underwear and shoes much more 

than he likes wearing them. As long as I’ve known him he's had a closet full of shoes and yet is barefoot every time you 

turn around. It is amazing how many times I’ve had to scrub the bottoms of his feet because he refuses to wear shoes. You 

will have to ask him why he doesn’t wear underwear.”

“Is that your way of chickening out?”

“Yes you little scamp that's my way of chickening out.”

“I just remembered; you and Dad need to go by the house and talk to Mom and Mama after you drop me, Lance, and the girls off 

at the school.”

“Why?”

“It'll be easier to let them explain it. But Uncle Justin it's something I really want to do.”

“That sounds mysterious, very Kinney like but mysterious. I suppose you won’t tell me anything if I ask?”

“Like I said it'll be easier if you just wait until you talk to them.”

“Gus you do know that you don’t have to wear the outfit your Dad bought if you aren’t comfortable in them. They're a lot 

tighter than you're used to wearing your clothes.”

“I’ll wear them I might even try the pants on without my shorts just to see what it feels like though I’m pretty sure it 

won’t feel good enough to make me want to go out in public with my dick showing. Is that a gay thing to want people to see 

your dick through your pants?”

“Your Dad would never want you to do anything that you aren’t comfortable doing.”

“I know that Uncle Justin. I know how much he loves me, and you for that matter, even if he doesn’t say it out loud very 

often.”

“Well Gus he's a lot better about saying it than he used to be. What do you want to have for supper? You can get cleaned up 

and ready for the dance while I’m making it? Where's the day gone?”

“Hamburgers will be fine. I’m pretty sure that I'll be too nervous to eat much before the dance. Lance and I are planning 

on taking the girls to Rick’s Ice Cream Shoppe afterwards.”

*** 

“Brian don’t embarrass Gus, I did enough of that already today.”

“You embarrassed him Sunshine, how did you do that?”

“I don’t know how it happened, let alone why, but before I knew it I was going on and on about his keeping his dick in his 

pants so that he wouldn’t have a baby in 9 months.”

“What? You didn’t? I wish I'd been there. How red did you get when he called you on it?”

“Very; but I got even redder when he wanted to know why anyone would want to see his dick through his pants. I blame that 

one on you.”

“How can you blame it on me, I wasn’t there?”

“Because he asked me why you told him not to wear underwear under those tight pants you bought him.”

“I’ll take the blame then. Why'd I say that? What did you tell him?” 

“I chickened out though he did figure it out and then he wanted to know if that was why you don’t wear underwear most of the 

time. I told him to ask you.”

“I hope he forgets about it because I'll pass out if I have to explain that I wear tight pants with no underwear to turn you 

on so that I can get into your pants. Why does even the thought of talking about sexual matters to Gus bother me so much? 

I’ve never been a prude in my life except around him. I sure never had any problems talking and showing you all about sex 

and he isn‘t that much younger than you were the night we met. Oh my God how'd he get to be so old? Maybe I should have 

bought him a chastity belt instead of a pair of tight pants.”

“It’s because he’s your Sonnyboy and you don’t ever want to look human to your little boy. As much as I hate to admit it he 

isn’t a little boy anymore, not that he's ever been the typical little boy, and while I’m pretty sure he won’t have sex 

tonight he’s his father’s son and he isn’t going to stay a virgin forever. A chastity belt; how'd that work for a straight 

boy? Brian the boy is growing up, you have to let him grow up but you don‘t have to push him.”

“With the package he has he's going to have girls and boys hitting on him sooner than I want to think about. Justin you’re 

going to have to talk to him about how to deflect unwelcome propositions one of these days.”

“Me why can’t you do it?”

“You do know who you're talking to don’t you Sunshine? I suddenly wonder how he'd react if he knows we've noticed the size 

of his package?”

“Of course I do Brian, and I don’t want you in jail for beating up some poor little twink who makes a pass at your Sonnyboy. 

Yes I’ll talk to him about it; luckily he only has the Kinney package and doesn’t have the Taylor bubble butt. I imagine 

that he would be as horrified to know that we've noticed how large he's hung as you would be if he were to compliment you on 

how big your package is. I hate to say this but it’s probably a good thing Gus's straight. We would both go crazy with worry 

if he was going out on a date with another boy since we know what'd probably happen. With Gus dating girls we don‘t really 

know what’s going on and can pretend that nothing sexual is likely to happen.”

“I’m sure glad that my Kinney package and your Taylor bubble butt are intimately acquainted. Gay or straight doesn‘t matter 

Sunshine I‘m going to worry about Sonnyboy any and every time he's out on a date. Hell I’ll probably worry about him on his 

wedding night. If he were to say anything indicating that he's noticed my groin I'd probably faint on the spot. Come here 

Justin and help me forget about my fears for a few minutes.”

“Brian he should be coming back here for supper anytime you don’t want him to catch us kissing do you?”

“Maybe I should get over that phobia, oh shit I heard his door shut, I‘ll just have to kiss those lips off of your face after 

we take the kids to the dance.”

“That reminds me,Gus told me that we need to go by Mel and Linds’ place after we drop the kids off at the dance. He wouldn‘t 

tell me why which makes me think he has a plan in motion.”

“We really need to get across to him that he can’t keep running these plans since one of these days one of them is going to 

blow up in his face.”

“I imagine that Gus'll stop running plans, to make people happy, about the same time you stop using your body to make me 

happy.”

“Since I’m never going to do that I guess we’ll have to live with Gus making everyone happy with his plans. I’m still happy 

that he got me and my mother back together before she died. Have you heard anything from Claire or the boys lately?”

“Nothing in that last several months.”

“Hi Dad, did you look at what Uncle Justin and I did out in the garden?”

“Yes Sonnyboy I did, it's going to look wonderful later in the summer once everything has filled out. Speaking of looking 

wonderful, Justin come here and look at Sonnyboy. I told you that the outfit I bought was perfect for him. Those shoes 

don‘t quite work as well as I would like but until his feet stop growing it doesn’t make any sense to buy shoes any more 

often than absolutely necessary; since they won‘t fit the day after they're bought. What’s happened to me? I never would’ve 

worried about whether it was practical to buy shoes for a one time event 15 years ago.”

“Dad don’t embarrass me. My feet aren’t that big and they aren’t growing that fast. I tried wearing the pants with no 

underwear like you said but it just feels too weird for me to go out dressed that way. That soft material hugging my dick 

will take some getting used to before I can do it in public. Besides the idea of anyone being able to see my dick isn‘t 

something I want to think about.”

“That's ok Gus, I shouldn’t have said anything in the first place. Never do anything you aren’t comfortable with just 

because someone asks or tells you to do it. ”

“Yes Dad and I don’t take candy from strangers either. But Dad you probably better start breathing before you pass out.”

“Sonnyboy are you being a smart ass? What do you mean I should start breathing?” 

“A Kinney being a smart ass how could that ever happen Dad? Dad you're starting to get as red as Uncle Justin and taking 

deep breaths usually causes him to get over his blushing because I said something sexual”

“I don't know what your'e talking about Sonnyboy."

"Tell yourself what you have to Dad, tell yourself what you have to."

"Justin go get your stick.”

“What stick Brian?”

“The beat them off of me, stick. You know the one you have to take with you anytime you go out in public without me to 

protect you from unwanted admirers.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Come out of the kitchen and look at our son and then ask me that?”

“Oh God, forget about a stick we're going to need a cattle prod. Gus do you have any idea how handsome you look in that 

green silk shirt and those charcoal pants. Gus quit turning red you have to let us act like adoring parents once in a while. 

Besides a red face doesn’t go with that forest green shirt. Brian get the camera. Gus I know I embarrassed you this 

afternoon but remember what I said. Brian you haven’t lost your touch; this outfit is perfect. It fits just right even if 

it's tighter than normal and the colors are exactly right. Forest green and charcoal emphasize his coloring, eyes, and hair. 

That tight wool-crepe blend with tapered legs points out how long his legs have become. That soft silk shirt glimmers and 

emphasizes his eyes. Gus when are you going to quit growing? Gus are you sure you don’t want to let your mothers see you 

before you go to the dance?”

“So that they can embarrass me too; I don‘t think so. I think I’m going to go change out of these clothes into some khakis 

and a sweater.”

“No Gus don’t do that we’ll behave. Let’s go eat something before we pick up the girls and Lance. Why're we picking them 

all up at Marie’s house?”

“Johanna and Marie live on the same block and Lance doesn’t want his mother to know that you two are driving us to the dance. 

Mrs. Smith still doesn’t like the idea of Lance and me being friends. Uncle Justin how old are you now? Mrs. Smith still 

thinks you're Dad’s Boy Toy.”

“I’m 32. I’ll have to send her a thank you note for thinking that I’m still that young.”

“Uncle Justin you wouldn’t do that would you?” 

“No you little scamp I’ve embarrassed you all I’m going to today. Well maybe one more time, Brian put the camera on 

automatic and then we can have a picture of all three of us.”

“Why would you think that would embarrass me?”

“Because I’m going to be kissing you in the picture?”

“UNCLE JUSTIN!”

“Ok I’ll just stand beside you and glow with joy because my little scamp is such a handsome young man.”

“Then I'll glow even brighter because I'll be standing with my Sonnyboy and my Sunshine.”

“Has anyone told you two how goofy you can be?”

“Has anyone ever told you that Sunshine?”

“Not that I remember Brian. Ok guys smile for the camera.”

***

“Thank you Mr. Kinney for giving us a lift.”

“No problem Johanna.”

“This sure's a nice car Mr. Kinney, Gus told us that you always own the newest Jeep possible.”

“Owning a Jeep is kind of a family tradition Marie.”

“Good bye Mr. Kinney, Good bye Mr. Taylor.”

“Good bye Lance.”

“Thanks for the ride Dad. I’ll see you and Uncle Justin at Mom’s after the dance.”

“Are you sure you don’t need a ride home Gus?”

“Marie’s mother is picking us up at the Ice Cream Shoppe at 11 Dad. I‘ll be home with Mom and Mama by 11:30.”

“Gus remember what Justin told you, don’t do anything that you'll regret in the future.”

“Dad what's with you two I’m not going to have sex tonight. I’m your son remember, if you can control your urges I can 

control mine.”

“What do you mean Sonnyboy?”

“I love you Dad, I’ll see you later. I‘ve got to go catch up with Lance and the girls. Good bye.”

“Control my urges what the hell did he mean by that?”

“It’s a mystery Brian, let’s go find out what Gus wants from us and his mothers.”

***

“Gus your Dad is very handsome and other than your hair you look just like him. Look guys I made Gus turn red.”

“It's the colored filters they put on the lights here in the gym, Johanna.”

“Tell that to someone who believes it Gus. Just admit you aren’t comfortable taking a compliment about your looks. Gus 

everyone at Crazy Horse knows that you're the best looking guy at school so don’t worry about it so much.”

“Just drop it Johanna, could you?”

“Let’s get some punch before we start to dance.”

***

“We’re here, what does Gus want us to talk about?”

“We can get to that in a minute Brian, tell us how he looked going on his first date. Was he nervous or completely calm like 

his Dad?”

“Since I bought his outfit how do you think he looked? He was as cool as a cucumber. I have to admit that his date is a 

beautiful young lady and they made beautiful couple.”

“He looked like a younger you but did he look good?”

“Melanie if he looks like a younger me then he would look good if he went to the dance barefoot, in a pair of overhauls, and 

with straw in his hair.”

“Brian if you and Mel can quit having so much fun you can just use the pictures we made to show the girls how handsome our 

son is.”

“Sunshine do you always have to be a spoilsport?”

“Yes, it's so much fun and I get to do it a lot when I’m with you.”

“Just show us the pictures and save the foreplay for when you get home tonight.”

“Lindsay, what ever do you mean?”

“Justin that Sunshine smile doesn’t work on me. Give it a rest; even Gus is picking up on your sex lives.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means Brian that even though you try to hide your physical affection for Justin from Gus he knows full well that you two 

love each other and express that love sexually.”

“Brian give me the pictures while you consider the fact that your Sonnyboy knows that you aren’t celibate.”

“Here're the pictures Melanie, Justin I think I need to sit down.”

“Brian why does this bother you so much? It doesn’t bother Gus or he would have said something to us.”

“I don’t know Justin I just don’t know. Everyone on Liberty Avenue probably thinks I’ve been fucking you in front of the boy 

since he was born yet I fall apart at the idea that Gus knows we have sex.”

“Don’t worry about it Brian, he's never seen us do anything, well except for the horsie incident, so while he may know we 

have sex he doesn’t know what we do. He's spending the night here so we can go home and make passionate love without any 

worries.”

“I know all of that in my head but I don’t want to disappoint him in anyway. I never want him to wish he had a different 

father. I know all about wanting a better Dad.”

“You don’t disappoint Gus in anyway. Gus adores his Dad and he knows how much you love me. So he knows we have sex; what 

kid doesn’t know that, deep down, about their parents? Just forget about it and let’s find out what he wants from the four 

of us.”

“Ok Justin, you always know what to say to calm me down. I do love you Justin Kinney-Taylor.”

“I know Brian, I know. Well ladies do the young women of Pittsburgh stand a chance now that young Mr. Peterson-Marcus is on 

the prowl?”

“Brian your goal of making Gus look hot was a total success. Those colors are perfect. The shirt and pants are cut 

perfectly to accentuate his build. I notice that he didn’t take your underwear advice though.”

“Lindsay it would be wise not to tell Gus that you noticed that his dick wasn’t showing. He finds the idea that people would 

want to see his dick through his pants unseemly. I don’t think he would handle the idea that his mother looked to see if his 

dick was visible in a positive manner.”

“Justin I would never say something like that to Gus. But why didn’t he follow the advice of his Dad, he does everything 

Brian tells him to do.”

“Like I said he didn’t even like the idea and when he tried it he really didn’t like the feeling. While Gus's growing up 

faster than I want him to he isn’t growing up too fast either. He does look gorgeous though; he and Johanna made a beautiful 

couple. We took pictures of them at Marie’s house when we picked them up so they haven’t been printed yet. I’ll send copies 

when I get them printed tomorrow.”

“Enough chit chat, what does Gus want that the four of us have to discuss?”

“Welcome back Brian. I knew you wouldn’t stay mushy for too long a period of time.”

“Thanks for noticing Mel.”

“Put that tongue back in your mouth, I don’t find it attractive at all.”

“We have to discuss the idea of Gus moving in with you two this summer.”

“What the fuck?”

“What do you mean Lindsay?”

“It’s simple; Gus told us that he has to move in with you and Brian this summer so that he can go to Chief Joseph High in the 

fall. The Pittsburgh Schools have changed the attendance zones and this house is now in the Sitting Bull zone and Gus 

doesn’t want to go there. That's what he told us anyway.”

“Don’t you believe him?”

“I believe that he wants to move in with you guys. I just don’t know if going to one High School instead of another one is 

the real reason. We know Gus and his plans, if he's trying to protect one or more of us he certainly would try to run a plan 

to do so.”

“What other reason could he have? As much as I would love to have him live with us he has to know that we would never agree 

if you two don‘t go along.”

“There could be a number of reasons. Maybe he’s tired of living with lesbians who don’t hide their sexual behavior from him 

all of the time. Maybe people make fun of him because of Mel and me. Maybe he has begun to question his sexuality after all 

and wants to live with you two to make sure he really is straight or to learn how to live his life if he's gay. There could 

be a lot of other things as well. He could think that he's saving us from pain if he wants to leave because of something we 

have done or people think about us. Just wanting to go to one High School just doesn’t seem like Gus.”

“Why does there have to be some deep dark reason? Gus is a reasonable boy, if there were something really bothering him he 

would have said something to one of us. Maybe he does just want to go to Chief Joseph instead of Sitting Bull. All of his 

friends will be going to Chief Joseph so it makes sense that he would want to go there as well.”

“While you have a point Justin it can’t be that simple. Gus isn’t that shallow, he has to be thinking that he is protecting 

someone.”

“Lindsay's right there has to be some better reason for Sonnyboy to want to change where he lives. He would know that it 

will hurt his mothers for him to move in with us so there has to be a bigger hurt that he's trying to save them from. We 

have to get across to him that he can’t run these plans all of the time, one of them is going to blow up in his face and then 

he really will feel pain.”

“I still think you guys are getting carried away. The question is whether we allow him to change his official residence so 

that he can go to Chief Joseph no matter what his real reason is for doing it.”

“Mel and I talked about it and we decided that if you two are willing to take him in we’ll let him move. Remember that if he 

is spending most nights at your house your sex life will be affected.”

“Like that is going to affect my decision. We have had an active sex life even when he spends the night; we just wait until 

he's asleep. So of course Gus can move in with us. That’s ok with you isn’t it Sunshine?”

“No it isn’t.”

“What the fuck do you mean?”

“What?”

“Justin you don’t mean that do you?”

“Of course I don’t mean it. He can move in tonight as far as I’m concerned. But guys I would suggest that you don’t try to 

find out if he's running a plan or not. Just take his reason for this residence change at face value.”

“We’re agreed then. Gus'll move in with Justin and me this summer. I’ll make the arrangements with the school so that he 

can attend Chief Joseph.”

“Everything will stay the same except Gus'll spend most of his nights with you guys instead of with us. His legal residence 

will be 7600 Rivendell Road, that's the only thing that's changing.”

“Yes Mel that's the only thing that's changing. You do realize that before we know it he'll be going off to college 

somewhere. Knowing Gus, even if he enrolls in one of the schools here in Pittsburgh he'll want to live in the dorms so that 

he can get the full college experience.”

“Brian we know that he's growing up too fast. Let’s just live life as it goes by and not worry too much about the future.”

“Gus you're home early, did something happen? Are you feeling ok? Gus what's the matter?”

“Gus answer your mother.”

“I’m ok I just got tired and came home early.”

“Gus we’ve decided that it's ok with all of us if you move in with Justin and me this summer so that you can attend Chief 

Joseph High this fall.”

“Thanks everyone, I really want to go to CJHS with my friends. Uncle Justin I need to talk to you in private.”

“Ok Gus let’s go to your room.”

***

Rick’s Ice Cream Shoppe 9:30 PM

“There’s an open booth guys.”

“Johanna there's plenty of room you don’t have to sit on top of me.”

“Quit kidding Gus I’m not sitting on you.”

“Well you could’ve fooled me.”

“Boy that was a fun night. Who knew that the oldies could be so good?”

“Yeah those 90s songs were a lot better than I expected.”

“Gus aren’t you going to kiss me even once. I mean if Lance is brave enough to kiss Marie shouldn’t you be brave too. I 

won’t bite, at least not too hard.”

“Johanna you're such a kidder.”

“Well I guess I'll have to take the bull by the horns.”

“Gus, Johanna come up for a breath.”

“Johanna why did you do that?”

“What kiss you? I decided that you weren’t going to kiss me so I kissed you and Gus you’re a good kisser and you taste 

pretty good too.”

“No I meant the other.”

“Why're you two whispering? Are you making plans to run away and elope?”

“Lance you're so not funny.”

“Johanna why did you put your hands where you put your hands?”

“Well Gus everyone at school knows that you're the oldest boy in our class. Everyone knows that you're the best looking boy 

in our class. You aren’t the tallest boy in the class since Lawrence Henry is 3 inches taller than you. I was just seeing 

if the rumors in the girls locker room are true.”

“What rumors?”

“You guys are still whispering, what's so secret that you don’t want us to hear?”

“What rumors?”

“That you have the biggest dick in our class. I was just feeling to see if it's true.”

“You did what? You touched me just to find out how big I am. Johanna I didn’t know you were that kind of girl. I’m not 

that kind of boy. I thought we were having a good time and you had to spoil it.”

“Gus I didn’t mean anything, I though all boys liked having their dick fondled. From what I could feel you really do have a 

big dick.”

“I have to go. Marie tell your mother that I had to leave early and that I'll be ok getting home. Here's the money for my 

order. I’ll see you all at school Monday. Good night Lance, Good bye Marie.”

“Gus wait I’ll go with you.”

“No Lance you stay with Marie and have a good time. I’m just very tired all of a sudden.”

***

Gus’s bedroom

 

“Ok Gus what's the problem? Why did you walk here instead of waiting for Mrs. Hendricks to give you a ride? Why do you want 

to talk to me in private? What's the matter Gus? Why do you look like you're about to burst into tears?”

“Uncle Justin do you remember what we talked about this afternoon?”

“Gus you didn’t? Tell me you didn’t do exactly what I told you not to do? Tell me you were at least careful?”

“I didn’t plan on doing anything. You have to believe me Uncle Justin.”

“Your dad is going to freak. Gus I told you to keep your dick in your pants. You said you weren’t going to have sex. You 

said you were smart enough to use a condom.”

“I know what I said Uncle Justin, but things just happened.”

“The odds are that you won’t be a father. Oh my god your Dad will freak if he finds out his Sonnyboy had unprotected sex. 

Gus do you have any idea how poorly he's going to handle being a grandfather?”

“But you'll handle it well won’t you Uncle Justin?”

“Now's not the time to joke with me young man. I told you to keep your dick in your pants. Why didn’t you listen to me? 

What's done is done I suppose. We just have to hope that she didn’t get pregnant.”

“Uncle Justin I did keep my dick in my pants. That's the problem I need to solve.”

“What're you saying Gus?”

“I’m saying I’m glad that I did wear my underwear under these pants Dad bought because if I hadn’t then I would have ruined 

them.”

“Gus you're losing me. Did you or didn’t you have sex with Johanna?”

“I didn’t have sex with Johanna, though I think that, technically, she had sex with me.”

“Gus what the hell are you talking about? You either did or you didn’t have sex. What happened and tell me the truth. No 

matter what happened your Dad and I and your mothers will support you.”

“Uncle Justin, I never had my dick out of my pants but when Johanna groped me at the Ice Cream Shoppe I filled my shorts so 

if I hadn’t worn them I would have ruined these beautiful charcoal pants and Dad would have been very disappointed in me. 

How do I clean up the mess inside my shorts, it's getting very uncomfortable.”

“Just take a shower wearing your shorts; after they're good and wet you can take them off and then finish your shower. She 

groped you, what do you mean?”

“Well she was trying to sit on top of me in the booth then she started kissing me and while she was doing that her hands 

started fondling my dick. I got so hard it hurt and then I shot the biggest load of my life so fast I almost passed out. Is 

that normal reaction to some one else touching your dick Uncle Justin?”

“Yes Gus it is. I remember the first time your Dad and I - - - I don’t suppose you want to hear about that.”

I asked her what she thought she was doing. She told me she was checking to see it the rumors were true.”

“What rumors?”

“That I have the biggest dick at Crazy Horse Junior High School.”

“Well do you?“

“UNCLE JUSTIN!”

“Sorry Gus I couldn’t resist. Why did you imply that you had sex after everything I told you this afternoon?”

“Uncle Justin did you really think I was going to let you get away with embarrassing me so much this afternoon?”

“Augustus Brian I’m going to give you a three second head start. 1, 2, 3 YOU LITTLE SCAMP WAIT TILL I CATCH YOU.”

***

If Brian, Melanie, or Lindsay were surprised to see Justin chasing Gus through the living room while both were giggling like 

maniacs an outside observer wouldn’t have been able to tell.


End file.
